


Please Don't Make Me Love You

by BubblyNBright96



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Angst, Drama & Romance, F/M, Family Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:35:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 31
Words: 151,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28022520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BubblyNBright96/pseuds/BubblyNBright96
Summary: Bella's older sister Maggie finds herself pregnant and alone after leaving an abusive boyfriend. She travels back home to Forks to comfort Bella after Edward Leaves in New Moon. When she flies to Italy to save her sister from doing something stupid, she meets the king of the vampires and is seduced by him, not knowing she's his mate. Slightly AU.
Relationships: Aro (Twilight)/Original Female Character(s), Edward Cullen/Bella Swan
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56





	1. Never Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Domestic Violence

“Fuck,” I cursed to myself as I looked at the white stick I held in my hand. This can’t be happening! I slowly sank down onto the tiled floor of the bathroom in the apartment I shared with my boyfriend. Tears slowly fell down the side of my face. There was no way Marcus was going to like this. At all. I looked at the bruises on my arms, suddenly fearful. Not only for my life, but for the life of my unborn child.

I had to get out of here. But where am I to go? I guess I could go move in with mom down in Jacksonville. But then I remembered she was still married to Phil. While I can’t be mad at mom forever for remarrying, I couldn’t forgive her for leaving dad. It was then I decided it was time to go back home to Forks. But I was worried what dad was going to say when he found out his baby girl was pregnant. And alone. He’s so old school it’s not even funny.

But I couldn’t think about that now. I had to think about a way to get out of here. The bruises on my arm motivated me even more. I was thinking about leaving for months, but I was scared that Marcus would find me and bring me back. I thought he could change, but he keeps proving me wrong every time. There’s no way I could raise a baby in this environment. So I made a plan to leave tomorrow when he was at work and drive the almost 4 hours it would take to get from Seattle to Forks, granted the traffic isn’t that bad. With my plan in mind, I got up off the floor and slowly crept out of the bathroom. 

I mentally sighed out of relief when I saw that Marcus was fast asleep, but I made a face as soon as I saw a half empty bottle dangling from his hand. Drinking again. What else is new. I crawled back into bed, hoping for a better day tomorrow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suddenly, I was awake. And on the floor? What the fuck?! I groaned and turned my head and came face to face with Marcus’ feet. Crap. I could only assume that he knocked me off the bed. Which means only one thing. He must’ve seen the pregnancy test I accidently left by the sink. Double crap! I slowly attempted to get up off the floor only to wince in pain. “Marcus, what the fuck?”

“I could ask you the same Maggie. What the fuck is this?!” I was not prepared for when he threw the pregnancy test at my face, which I blocked with my hand. Seriously dude? Doing my best to get off the floor, I finally managed to get back onto my feet. Feeling brave, I put my hands on my hips and tried to size up to him.

“It’s exactly what it looks like you idiot.” I started to turn to walk away, but Marcus yanked my arm so hard that I fell back onto the floor. I tried to get up but he just shoved me into the wall. I must’ve hit the wall hard enough to slump to the floor. However, I wasn’t on the floor very long because I could feel Marcus grab a fist full of my hair and pull me up.

“You stupid bitch. You’re cheating on me aren’t you?!” I mentally facepalmed at that question. He of all people should talk. I lost count how many times I caught him cheating on me. Of course, there was nothing I could ever do about it. He’d always try to sweeten me up afterwards and apologize. And I’d always fall for it because that’s how great of a manipulator he is.

I was broken from my thoughts when he slammed me against the wall. Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. I opened up my eyes and saw that he had an iron grip against my throat. I tried to loosen his grip, to no avail. “Marcus...What.The.Hell?!” Somehow I managed enough strength to ask him what his problem was. I was about to pass out when I felt his grip loosen. Shaking, I slid down the wall and collapsed on the floor, sobbing.

“I’ll deal with you later. I can’t be late to work again.” Maybe you wouldn’t be late to work if you didn’t go out drinking every night. And suddenly, I was completely alone. I sat on the floor for a while, not attempting to hide my tears. I’ve always tried to hide my emotions every time this happened. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. It was then I realized that I had to be brave for my baby.

Feeling a surge of adrenaline, I decided I would put my plan into action. I lugged the huge suitcase that was under the bed on top of the bed and began looting the closet and the dresser. Once I had all my clothes packed, I grabbed a few pictures of my family, some books, and all of my jewelry and tossed them in a duffle bag along with my laptop and other important papers I kept in the safe. The rest of the stuff could wait.

After putting on my jacket and a scarf, I grabbed my purse, the suitcase, and the duffle bag and began to hall the stuff out the door. Grabbing my keys on the way out, I took one last look before I left. Hopefully for good. I managed to leave the building without suspicion and popped the trunk of my car. I managed to get it all in before slamming it shut again. Once I got in the car, I headed towards the interstate and never looked back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About 4 hours later, I arrived in Forks, and naturally it was raining. Coming to a red light, I glanced at my surroundings. Of course nothing had changed. I ended up passing the diner where me and my dad always ate growing up. When it was just the two of us. I will also never forgive my mom for taking Bella with her when she left our dad. Granted, I did have friends down at the Rez and at school, but nothing was the same without Bella. I hope she was fitting in well here. Last time I checked, she moved up here from Arizona after mom wanted to keep traveling with Phil’s minor league team. I hope she was able to make friends up here. She was always shy. Last time I checked, she had a boyfriend.

Not long after I arrived in Forks, I finally pulled up to the white, two-story house that I grew up in. I noticed dad’s cruiser was parked in the front lawn, indicating that he was home. Thank God, because I’d feel much safer with him at home than away. I didn’t see Bella’s truck she got from dad so I assumed she was at school. I pulled up in the drive and sat in the car for a bit after turning it off, feeling slightly nervous. Was I scared that Marcus might come looking for me? Probably. Was I nervous about telling dad I was pregnant? Most definitely. Was I nervous about how he’d react when I tell if Marcus has been beating me? You have no idea. Dad tends to have a temper when he gets mad, and boy oh boy, I could tell he was going to explode when I told him about Marcus.

I finally stepped out of the car and got my stuff from the back. Trudging up the drive, I glanced around the yard I used to romp around with Bella. I started to smile when I noticed that the swing hanging from the big tree was still there. So many memories.

Soon I was standing on the front porch, nervous as hell. I stared at the front door for a few moments before ringing the doorbell. That’s when I started to shake. Out of cold and out of nerves. It wasn’t long before my dad showed up at the door. First he looked happy to see me, then got all confused when he saw my stuff. I probably should have called first, I mentally facepalmed. “Hey kiddo, what are you doing here?”

It was that moment that the tears started falling again. “Daddy,” I managed to choke out before my dad grabbed me and pulled me in for a hug. He knew something was wrong, but didn’t say anything as he held me close.


	2. Welcome Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Implied domestic violence and mention of rape.

Dad held me for what seemed like forever. By that time my cries became hysterical, and I was clutching to him like I was a little kid again. “Hey, hey, hey.” By this time dad brought me into the house and sat me down on the couch. I curled up in a ball as I heard the front door open and the thump of my suitcase and duffle bag.

I could feel the couch dip beside me as dad sat down next to me and pulled me close. He let me cry for a while until I settled down. When we pulled apart he gave me a handkerchief he had in his pocket, and I took it gratefully, blowing my nose softly. He looked at me and said, “Not that I’m not happy to see you kiddo, but what’s going on?” I took a deep breath before looking my dad straight in the eye. Here goes nothing.

“Daddy...I’m pregnant.” I automatically tensed up, sensing a big blow about to happen. Dad’s hands were already clenched into fists when I dared to open my eyes. This wasn’t going to be pretty.

“Wha--wha--what?” Dad stuttered as he shook his head out of confusion, his eyes blinking rapidly.

“I’m pregnant daddy.” There was a brief silence before my dad got off the couch and started pacing back and forth in front of me.

“No...no...no. You can’t be pregnant. You just can’t!” Dad raising his voice always scared the hell out of me when I was a kid, and it still does. I tried to interrupt but he wouldn’t have it. “I just can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it! Dammit Margaret, how could you be so irresponsible!” Oh crap. Not the full name. Damn, he must really be pissed. “I mean, what were you thinking young lady? And where the hell is your boyfriend?” Truth be told, I didn’t know whether this baby was conceived out of consent or out of rape, considering I always woke up fuzzy whenever me and Marcus had sex. I mean, he could be decent when he wanted to be, but most of the time he was a raging alcoholic. And there were rare times when we did have consensual sex, but the number of times he raped me were much higher.

And in all honesty, I never really told anybody much about my personal life except the fact that I had a boyfriend. I consider myself a very private person, especially after my parents’ divorce and with Marcus’ controlling behavior. The only person I considered to be open with was Bella, but even I didn’t share the grizzly details with her.

I looked down at my hands in shame. I felt even worse knowing what I was going to say next and how dad would react. “Daddy... We’re not together anymore.” Wait for it…

“What do you mean you’re not together anymore? He left you, didn’t he?! That son of a bitch!” That last part took me by surprise. Dad wasn’t the type to swear, at least not in front of me and Bella.

“No dad, you don’t understand-” I huffed in annoyance when I couldn’t get my voice in because he wasn’t having it and was muttering to himself about how I was so irresponsible and that Marcus was a deadbeat and such. After a few minutes, I started to get annoyed. Dad was going to drive himself insane if I didn’t explain myself soon. So I breathed in deeply before shouting at the top of my lungs.

“DAD!” I must’ve yelled pretty loud because it got his attention. “You didn’t let me finish. Marcus and I aren’t together anymore because I left him.” My dad’s face contorted from anger to confusion as I was leading up to my big revelation.

“What? How come?” Oh boy, here it goes.

“Dad, I left him because…” I trailed off as I started to get more nervous, my body starting to tremble. I looked down at my hands before I could find the right words. “I left him because he was beating me. And raping me. And cheating on me…” I trailed off again as I looked away. I can’t imagine what he was thinking, knowing that his first born went through all that. Dad didn’t speak for a while and I got scared. The eerie silence almost seemed deadly.

“That son of a bitch. I’m going to kill him. Stay here Maggie.” I watched as he headed into the kitchen. I stood up and quickly followed him, wondering what he was going to do. Out of nowhere I saw him grab his shotgun. I immediately panicked.

“Dad, no! What are you doing?!”

“I’m going to go after that bastard that did this to you Maggie.” At first I thought he was serious, but then he was about to load the shotgun.

“Daddy, stop! If you go after him you could lose your job!” That made him stop in his tracks, but he still looked murderous. I slowly approached him, gently putting my hands on his shoulders. “Daddy, please don’t go after him. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you. And besides, how would your grandchild feel without having their grandpa around watching them grow up?” I really didn’t want to sound like I was guilt tripping him because I really couldn’t deal with him being hurt and I really wanted him to be around to see this child grow. Slowly, he put the rifle and ammunition down on the table and pulled me in for a hug. We stayed like that for what seemed like forever.

“Fine, but if I see him around here I’m going to shoot him.” I had to giggle at that. This is why I loved my dad. He’s always been so protective of me and Bella. You should’ve seen him after mom took Bella with her. That was perhaps the only time I’ve seen him cry in my 22 years of life.

I looked up at him and asked, “Is it alright if I stay here with you and Bella, dad? I really don’t have anywhere else to go?” Dad smiled sadly down at me as he ruffled my hair before letting me go.

“You know the door’s always open, kiddo. Your room should still be the way you left it. I’ll help you with your bags.” I let out a sigh of relief knowing that dad didn’t mess with my room up in the attic (I had to move up there when Bella was born). I took the duffle bag and dad handled the suitcase and we made our way upstairs. We stopped on the second floor landing as dad pulled down the steps to the attic. I went up first so I could help heave the suitcase up. Dad was right. Everything was exactly the same when I left. The queen sized bed still sat in its wrought iron frame, with a frilly pink bedspread. Fairy lights outlined the contour of my room, with posters of various musicians and bands covered the walls. The desk was still against the wall by the window. Space was going to be tight when the baby is born. Dad must’ve had the same thought as he looked around.

“Well, we’re going to have to do something about the space once the baby comes. But we’ll tackle that when we get there. Speaking of which, have you called your mother at all?” I inwardly groaned. I was not ready to deal with my over emotional mother at the moment. Dad gave me a knowing look before going back downstairs. “Either you call her kiddo, or I will.” Now that scared the crap out of me. Bella told me about the time she almost got hit by a van in the school parking lot and had to go to the hospital. Dad ended up calling mom and Bella was so pissed. She told me how freaked out mom was. I let out a big huff and decided to get it over with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The call with my mom almost lasted an hour and a half. And it was just as I expected. First she was disappointed that I got pregnant at a young age like she did, almost going on a rant like dad. Then she got emotional when I told her what happened. She started freaking out, which was understandable. I mean, I would freak out too if that happened to my baby. But then she started going crazy and telling me how she’d catch the next flight to Forks and it took me a half hour to convince her not to. Then she started to get all mushy saying that I’d be a great mom and that she couldn’t wait to be a grandma. She means well, but I can’t help but roll my eyes at her. Giving her my love and promising to kiss Bella for her, I hung up.

I collapsed back on the bad and stared at the ceiling, contemplating my nearly 23 years of life up until this point, wondering what I did to deserve all the crap I went through. Deciding not to dwell on any of it I headed downstairs. I found dad watching tv and sat down next to him. “You know dad, even if it’s not the greatest of circumstances, it’s great to be back.” I nudged him lightly as I smiled a bit.

He patted my knee and said, “It’s great to have you back kiddo, I missed ya. Although I am glad that you did come when you did. I’m worried about Bella.” I suddenly went still, my body filling with fear. Did something happen to her? Is she sick? I slowly pivoted my body so I was facing dad.

“Dad, what’s going on with Bella?” Sensing another serious talk, he sighed and muted the tv and turned to look at me.

“She told you about that one boyfriend she had, right?” I nodded, wondering if dad knew that I kept in contact with Bella after I left. Of course I couldn’t forget about Mr. Mysterious Bella constantly talked about. All I know is that his name is Edward and was the same age as Bella. And that she was madly in love with him, even if she didn’t show it. Big sisters can always tell. “Well, apparently he broke up with her and left her in the middle of the woods out back. We couldn’t find her for hours, and Sam Uley was the one who found her when it was near dark out.” WHAT THE FUCK?! My deep concern turned into pure rage. I made a vow to beat the crap of the guy who hurt Bella like that. I mean, who leaves someone vulnerable in the woods?! Dude’s a dead man walking.

“Dad, how long ago was this? And what do you mean that I came at the right time?” Dad just shook his head and sighed.

“I guess it happened back in September on Bella’s birthday.” WHAT?! “She was really starting to scare me, Maggie. Having nightmares at 3 in the morning, always screaming bloody murder. And she was always moping around the house too. It wasn’t like I was living with another human being, Maggie. It was like living with a vegetable.” I put an arm around my dad as he rubbed his face. I could definitely tell he aged with all this worrying. I made a mental note to talk to Bella later.

“So how’s she doing now?”

“Well, she’s been a little bit better now that she started to see some of her friends and talking to Jacob.” Jacob? I tried to think if I knew any Jacobs, then I mentally facepalmed when I realized dad was talking about Jacob Black. Duh! Get your shit together Maggie! I made another mental note to visit the guys down at the Rez soon. Before either of us could say another word, the front door opened and slammed shut.

“Dad, I’m home. Whose car is that in the driveway?” I got up as fast as I could without getting dizzy and turned to greet my little sister. I heard the thump of her backpack and then a gasp when she realized I was actually here. “Maggie?”

“Bella!” She smiled as I ran and pulled her into a hug. I hugged her tight, not wanting to let her go. “Oh my god, what are you doing here?” I laughed as we pulled apart.

“Oh you know, I was in the neighborhood and I thought that I’d drop bye.” That was a total lie. I was 140 miles away in Seattle and decided to run away from my abusive boyfriend. I didn’t want to scare her in front of dad. “Anyway, enough about me. How are you Bella?” I knew I was taking a risk by asking this, but she was my sister. It was job to look after her. Her mask slipped temporarily and I could see the pain in her eyes before she put on a happy face and shook it off.

“I’ve been fine.” I also knew this was a total lie, but I didn’t want to pursue it in front of dad. Knowing how upset he was at what Marcus did, I can’t imagine what he felt towards Bella’s boyfriend. 

“So hey, I was thinking of going down by the Rez and saying hey to the guys. Wanna come?” It was a Friday, so I assume dad had no objections. And it would get Bella out of the house. I looked over to dad, who just nodded in encouragement.

“Yeah, that sounds great. I wanted to talk to Jake anyways. Let me put my stuff away.” She grabbed her bag and went upstairs. I turned to dad, who just gave a thumbs up before turning back to whatever show he was watching. Cops. Nice dad. Bella soon came back downstairs. “So did you want to drive or should I?” She dangled her keys in the air.

“Would you mind driving Bella? My car is almost empty.” She nodded and we walked out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Once we were on the heading to La Push, I turned off the radio and turned off the radio. “Ok Bella, you can cut the crap now that we aren’t in front of dad.” My face softened as I put a hand on her arm. She slightly flinched.

“I told you Maggie. I’m fine.” I could see her mask starting to slip. I decided to push my luck even further.

“Come on Bells, dad told me what happened-” 

“I said I was fine! Now can we please drop it?!” Geeze, Bella. Neither of us spoke again as we drove the 30 minute ride to the Rez. After what seemed like forever, we finally pulled up to an old red house that I remember from my childhood. It was Jacob’s house. I wonder if he will recognize me? As we stepped out of the truck, we saw Jacob coming from the equally red she that wasn’t too far from the house. No surprise he went to Bella first. I always suspected he had a crush on her ever since we were little. Well, ever since they were little, considering I’m about 5 years older than them.

“Bella! Where the hell have you been loca?” He picked her up and spun her around, making her laugh. Once he saw me, his face lit up brighter than a light bulb. “Mags! Is it really you?” Before I knew it he spun me around like he did with Bella. Which made my pregnant stomach start to lurch.

“It’s nice to see you too Jake,” I choked out. He put me down when it sounded like I was becoming uncomfortable. “So what’s new with you, Jake?”

“Oh, you know, just fixing up an old car I found,” he looked away bashfully while laughing.

“I keep forgetting you’re quite the mechanic,” I laughed, lightly punching him on the shoulder. I remember, growing up, that if I ever needed something to fix, it would be Jake that would always be my miracle worker. Kid’s got quite a talent for only being 16. Jacob just laughed.

“Come on Mags, I’m not that good,” before I could offer a rebuttal, Jacob ushered inside, where we came face to face with Jacob’s dad, Billy Black, who greeted us with a smile.

“Well, if it isn’t Maggie Rose. Long time no see kid.” I smiled as I bent down and gave Billy a hug. Growing up, I always enjoyed whenever Billy came over or when me and dad would ride out to the Rez. Billy’s like a second dad to me

“It’s nice to see you too Billy. You’re looking good.” Billy smiled back at me.

“Well, I’m still dancing,” he looked at me for a moment before turning serious. “Maggie, your dad told me what happened. Are you alright?” Damn it dad! I suddenly grew uncomfortable as Bella and Jake turned and looked at me curiously.

“Uh, yeah, I’m fine.” Billy wheeled himself closer to me and put a hand on my arm.

“You know Maggie, you can always come to me or Harry if something comes up. You know that right?” I nodded ferveshly, wanting to get this conversation done with. “You might want to talk to Sue Clearwater as well. She just called before you and Bella showed up.” Damn it dad! How many people did you tell?! He looked at me knowingly, making me even more uncomfortable, so I just nodded. As everyone gathered and sat around the dining table, Bella grabbed my hand and pulled aside.

“Hey, did something happen? You seem off. You weren’t just in the neighborhood, were you?” Damn. She caught me in my lie. I mouthed “later” to her as I went to sit down to catch up with Jake and Billy.

“Hey Jake, how’s the gang been doing?” This was apparently the wrong question to ask because his face darkened.

“Don’t know. Haven’t seen them in a while.” Ok, something was definitely up with him, because now he was avoiding everyone’s eyes, especially Billy’s, who just gave him a pointed look. I wonder what that was all about?

“Oh.” The rest of the time I kind of zoned out, not really paying attention to the conversation. Occasionally Billy would look at me but didn’t say a word. I was looking out the window when I felt Bella tap on my shoulder, breaking my reverie.

“Hey, Jake and I were thinking of seeing a movie tomorrow. Wanna come?” I nodded and smiled before turning back to look out the window. Except...what the fuck was standing way out by the woods?! It looked like a giant dog. I shook my head, telling myself I was crazy and it was just my pregnant brain acting up. I turned back and intently listened to the conversation being held.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On our way back home, it was Bella’s turn to interrogate me. “Hey, are you sure you’re alright? What did Billy mean by ‘your dad told me what happened’ ?” I sat in stony silence before turning to look at her.

“I’ll only tell you if you tell me what’s bugging you. We’re sisters. We have to look out for each other.” I smiled sadly at her. She looked like she was going to regret her decision, but decided to put her faith in me. As she should.

“Alright, fine. Now please tell me why you decided to drop by out of the blue?” I looked down at my feet and started to fiddle with my hands.

“Bella, I’m pregnant.”


	3. Revelations and Boredom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Implied domestic violence and implied rape.

“Bella, I’m pregnant.” Suddenly, Bella slammed on her breaks. Hard. It was a good thing I was wearing my seatbelt or I would’ve flown straight through the dash. Catching my breath, I checked the side mirror to see if there were any cars behind us. I didn’t want Bella causing an accident. Dad doesn’t need any more panic attacks. Seriously. Even though there were no cars behind us, Bella still pulled over to the side of the road and turned the truck off.

“Maggie, are you serious?!” I flinched at her tone. It’s not like she was mad. It was more shock and surprise than anything. I was always the good girl growing up and nobody thought I would ever toe the line. Having a cop for a dad enforced that idea even. I nodded, avoiding her stare. Of all the people I was afraid of disappointing the most was Bella. I mentally prepared for what she would say.

“I’m afraid so, Bella,” I picked at the sleeves of my coat.

“Wait, when did you find this out? Does dad know?” I nodded, indicating that dad did indeed know that I was pregnant.

“Yeah, dad definitely knows alright. I told him when I drove up from Seattle this morning.” Bella went from shocked to confused real fast.

“Wait, why did you drive all the way from Seattle when you could’ve just called?” I looked away from her, letting an eerie silence fall between us. She leaned over and put a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, is everything ok?” By this point I was trying not to cry.

“Bella, I didn’t just call because….” I droned off into another awkward silence. Bella looked at me, urging me to continue. “I ran away from my boyfriend.” Another awkward silence. I glanced at Bella, who just looked even more confused.

“Why? Were you afraid of how he would react?” Now I couldn’t stop the tears from coming.

“Bella, I ran away because he was beating me,” I lifted up my sleeves to show the bruises on my arms.

“Oh my god! Maggie!” She leaned across the divider and pulled me into a hug. My silent tears turned into sobs as my little sister comforted big sister. We sat there for what seemed like forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The drive home was quiet. Bella kept asking questions and I kept telling her I would talk to her later. I wasn’t trying to be snippy, I was just tired and hungry. This whole day was just one big mess that I’d like to put behind me. Dinner was a quiet affair. Dad ordered us pizza and we made small chit chat. We all tried to avoid the elephant in the room, which was, not surprisingly, my surprise arrival in Forks and my pregnancy. I asked Bella how school was, and was glad to know she made a few friends when she moved up here. 

Suddenly, I felt queasy. I excused myself before running up the stairs and vomiting in the bathroom. While I didn’t hate my baby, I hated how it made me feel. Which reminds me, I should probably schedule an appointment with a doctor next week to see how far along I am. After I flushed the toilet, I slowly made my way back up into my room and curled up into bed. I almost fell asleep when I heard footsteps coming up my ladder. I opened my eyes to find Bella halfway through the hatch.

“Hey, can we talk?” I slowly sat up and nodded, patting my bed. Bella came through the rest of the hatch and sat down next to me, and I leaned my head against her shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell me he was beating you?”

“Because he would’ve beat me even more if I did. He told me if I told anyone what he was doing to me he’d kill me. And I believed him.” I felt a tear escape my eye as Bella pulled me closer.

“So when did this all start? You never really told me about him.” I pulled away from Bella to sit face to face with her, hugging my knees to my chest.

“He wasn’t like this when I first met him, which was around my second year of college. He wasn’t a student of course, but I’ve seen him driving around campus on his motorcycle. I guess I was attracted to his bad boy attitude,” I smiled sadly before looking down. “It wasn’t long before I caught his eye and started sweet talking to me. Before I knew it, we were going out and he was convinced to move in with him. Unfortunately, he also convinced me to quit school,” I buried my head in my knees in shame. 

“Oh my god Maggie, does dad know about this?” I shook my head no.

“I was going to tell him when I got here, but I figured that his first grandchild was more important. I’ll tell him sooner or later.” My room fell silent again. I could hear the crickets start to chirp outside as dusk fell.

“So when did he start hurting you?” I took a deep breath, preparing to relive memories I wish I could squish.

“Well, I remember when I first caught him cheating. I was coming home from my job at a diner nearby when I walked in on him and another woman. In our bed! After I screamed at them and told the girl to get out, I started to pack my stuff only for Marcus to get on his knees and plead with me. He kept saying over and over how he was sorry and that he'd never do it again, and I foolishly believed it because he started acting all sweet and romantic. And you know me Bella, how I always fall for the princely types, believing in all that fairytale crap,” I smiled and nudged Bella in the arm.

“But each time I caught him cheating, he started to get to become less apologetic and became indifferent to my feelings. I remember the first time he hit me. I asked him who else he’d been sleeping with because I’d always see him out with other girls when I was working and see strange messages on his phone. I confronted him about it and he hit me across the face and told me it wasn’t none of my fucking business. Then he hit me again when I started to cry,” my eyes darkened as I kept reliving the memories.

“But that’s not the worst thing he did Bella. Sometimes he would…” I choked on my own tears before I could reveal what else I had to endure. Bella grabbed my hands and started to rub them. 

“Maggie...what else did he do?” I could sense the wariness in her voice as I felt her grip on my hands tighten.

“Bella...he raped me.” Before I knew it, Bella was cradling me in her arms as I clutched onto her like a newborn would with its mother. “And what’s even worse, I don’t even know how this baby conceived! Most of the time he would come home drunk and get angry with me over some reason and rape me!” I cried even harder as Bella held on to me. I didn’t even remember falling asleep. All I know was that Bella stayed with me throughout the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Meanwhile, in Volterra…  
Aro POV  
I slammed the book I was reading in frustration. Slowly rising from my desk in my office, I wandered to the window that overlooked the square. These past few months did not bring the usual excitement like they used to. None of the covens listed in our records were toeing the line, however the Romanians were testing my patience. There was no doubt in my mind we would be at war with them once again.

But the fact that there was no one to punish was not the main reason for my boredom. Suffice to say that I was lonely. Even though I was constantly in the presence of my brothers and the rest of the guard, there was something missing. For weeks I tried to discover what that missing link was. Until I read Marcus’ thoughts

*Flashback*

Me and my brothers were in the throne room, along with the rest of the guard after finishing our afternoon meal. As I sat back in my throne, I still felt unsatisfied, even after fulfilling my desire for the savory taste of human blood. It still amazes me how Carlisle somehow resists the temptation for human blood, unlike a respectable vampire. As the guard was disposing of the mess that laid before me, Caius’ voice broke me from my reverie.

“You seem preoccupied brother. What is it?” How typical of Caius. Always wanting to involve himself in others business.

“It is nothing brother. It’s just been quiet lately. Too quiet.” Caius smirked, his mind no doubt drifting to the idea of war.

“It has been, hasn’t it? Maybe it’s time to end the Romanians once and for all.” I could see Marcus out of the corner of my lean away, no doubt getting tired of Caius’ constant scheming. While I do think that a world without the Romanians would be ideal, there were no just causes for war with them again. Yet. The Volturi may seem ruthless but we still had an obligation to hold up the law. I couldn’t let our reputation be damaged by Caius’ constant scheming for an unjustifiable war.

After getting no response from me, Caius muttered something about seeing his wife Athenodora in the tower and left, leaving Marcus and I the only ones in the room. Silence enveloped us until Marcus turned to me, sensing my restlessness.

“Aro.” He extended his arm towards me and grasped his hand in both of mine. Suddenly, my eyes widened. Marcus was showing me something that hadn’t occurred to me before. My name appeared in my mind, along with what seemed like a strong, mated bond. The only trouble was that I couldn’t see where the bond was connected. I released Marcus’ hand and leaned back in my throne, trying to make sense of what I just read.

*Present time*

It never really occurred to me that the lack of a mate could bring such loneliness. After my discovery, I tried to distract myself by studying many books about war, but to no avail. The mating pull was becoming too strong. Not once in my three thousand years have I felt this way before. Intuition has told me that my mate was already out there, existing in this modern time period. 

I watched the innocent humans pass by in the square, going about their lives. Where are you, my little nymph? Granted, I’ve had many women in my bed over the years, all of them being dinner afterwards, but the mating pull was different. I turned away from the window, determined to find and possess this woman as my own.


	4. Awkward Run Ins and Awkward Dates

When I woke up the next morning, I found that Bella was still laying next to me after my big reveal from last night. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes before checking at my alarm clock that was sitting on my desk. It was 9:30 in the morning. I suppose I could get up and get something to eat. I looked at Bella and wondered if I should wake her or not. I decided against it, and crept down the ladder. Dad wasn’t anywhere to be seen or heard, so I assumed he was down at the station.

I started to rummage through the cupboards to see what kind of cereal dad had, only to be disappointed. I forgot he only ate Wheaties cereal. I made a face as I shut the cupboard and sighed. I was about to look in the fridge when I saw Bella leaning against the entranceway between the kitchen and the front door. “Hey.”

“Hey. How’d you sleep last night Bells? Dad said you were having nightmares?” Bella made a face before recovering. Man, she’s really bad at hiding her feelings.

“Oh, I’m fine...But how did you sleep?” 

“You know, not bad. I guess it could’ve been worse,” I shrugged. I walked over to where Bella was standing, looking kind of embarrassed. “But, uh...thanks for staying with me last night, Bells. It really means a lot.

“We’re sisters. It’s our job to look out for each other,” I smiled when she told me the same thing I told her yesterday, and she smiled back.

“So hey, I checked and dad doesn’t really have any good food around here. Wanna go grab something at IHOP?” I seriously hope she says yes because I’m starting to crave chocolate chip pancakes right now. And dad doesn’t really have anything good to eat and I didn’t want to go to the store this early in the morning. Luckily for me, Bella nodded.

“Yeah, that sounds good,” she started to go walk upstairs when she turned to me as if she had forgotten something. “Hey, did you want to use the bathroom first or should I?” Oh right. I forgot there was only one bathroom in this house.

“You go ahead, Bells. I got some unpacking to do.” With that Bella turned her back on me and went upstairs. I followed her not long after, collecting my thoughts. Today I was definitely going to ask her about what happened between her and that boyfriend of hers. Walking past the bathroom, I could hear Bella in the shower. From what dad told me yesterday, I hope she didn’t get into the habit of cutting herself. 

Once I got back up to my room, I grabbed the duffle bag and set it gently on my bed. One by one, I took out the pictures one by one, each of them highlighting an important time in my life. The first one was the very first picture of me, when I was born. Geeze, mom and dad look really young in this. Dad didn't even have his mustache! The next one was when I was 5, when Bella was born. I’m smiling up at the camera while holding a newborn Bella. Next was a picture of me during my time as a cheerleader at Forks High School. I grimaced a little as I stared at the brace faced teenager in her navy and gold uniform waving her pom poms. The next two were my prom pictures. The first one, during my junior year, I wore a satin baby pink, off the shoulder ball gown with a jeweled belt. For my senior year, I wore a strapless red mermaid with a slit up the side of the dress and rhinestones outlining the top of the dress. In both of them, I was standing next to my old boyfriend Andy. A pang in my heart was set off when I saw him. It took all my strength not to break down right there. Oh Andy, why did I let you go? I wouldn’t be in this mess if I didn’t. Sighing, I placed the two frames facedown on my bed, before picking up the last one. It was my graduation picture from almost 5 years ago. There I was, donning my gold cap and gown, standing in between mom and dad while hugging Bella from behind. This was the first time in forever that we actually had a regular family picture. Most of the time, either dad was missing and Phil was there instead or mom was missing. But hopefully there will be another when Bella graduates in June. I sighed wistfully. My baby sister is all grown up.

My reverie was broken when I heard a door shut downstairs. Bella must be done with her shower. Opening up the bigger suitcase I grabbed a pair of jeans and a purple long sleeved shirt, along with a new pair of panties and a bra. Throwing all these things over my shoulder, I made my way down the ladder and made my way into the bathroom. Neatly, folding the items I brought with me, I set them on the toilet and proceeded to undress. Once I was completely undressed, I turned the shower on, setting it to a nice temperature.

It only took 15 minutes for me to shower. I didn’t want to make Bella wait long and I was starting to starve. As I stepped out of the shower, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and I froze. One of my hands reached up and slowly caressed my neck. My mind suddenly went back to yesterday, when Marcus was choking me. I started to panic a little. What did Marcus think when he came home from work to find me missing? Would he come after me? I leaned against the bathroom wall, hugging myself tightly. Stop it, Maggie. Be brave for your baby. Shaking myself from my thoughts, I quickly dried myself off and got dressed. I didn’t waste time with the hair dryer, only partially drying it and putting it in a bun, some loose hairs falling alongside my face. I brushed my teeth and left the bathroom.

When I went back downstairs, Bella was already waiting by the door. “Ready to go?”

“Just a sec,” I went to grab my coat from the coatrack before following Bella out the front door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The nearest IHOP was just outside Port Angeles, which was about an hour and a half drive away. The drive was silent, like it was yesterday. I was definitely going to ask Bella what the hell happened between her and her dumbass boyfriend. Given how long the drive was, I decided to take a chance. After all, she did promise me that she'd open up if I opened up. And I already fulfilled my end of the bargain.

“So...You ever going to tell me what went down between you and that idiotic boyfriend of yours?” I gave Bella a side eye and noticed her roll her eyes.

“You’re never going to let this go, are you?”

“Not a chance. As your big sister, it is my job to look after you no matter what. Even if it means annoying the shit out you,” I gave her a cheeky grin as I answered her question. To my relief, she smiled a little. There was a brief pause before Bella spoke up.

“I guess there’s really nothing more to say if dad told you everything.” I could sense that she was putting her mask on again. Crap!

“Bella, there has to be something if he left you in the middle of the woods!” She winced at this remark. Stay sensitive Maggie, stay sensitive. “I mean, surely you guys can talk things out. You still have his number, right?” What I was about to hear was perhaps the biggest WTF moment in this whole situation.

“I can’t really call him because he left. His whole family packed up and moved.” WHAT THE FUCK?! Dad never told me this part. Now I was really going to kill him if I ever run into him.

“Woah, woah, woah, woah! His entire family just packed up and left?! What the fuck Bella! Did he at least tell you where he was going?” My heart ached for her when she shook her head no. I sighed out of frustration and rubbed my temples. I felt the truck stop as we came to a red light. We must almost be there. Bella put a hand on my arm.

“Hey Maggie?” I glanced over at her, noticing that she was smiling. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m feeling better.” I knew this was a total lie, but I decided to let it go. Bella was stubborn, and there was no way in hell that I could extract more information out of her.

I nodded at her, saying, “Alright, fine. But I’m going to beat the shit out of him if he comes back here.” I don’t know why I keep saying this. I don’t even know what this guy looks like! We didn’t say anything as we pulled up to the restaurant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So, have you had any cravings lately,” Bella asked me as we were eating our food. They didn’t have the chocolate chip pancakes I wanted, so I ordered the cupcake pancakes instead, along with a few slices of bacon and a glass of orange juice. Bella had some waffles, toast, and a glass of water.

“No, not at all. Which is weird, because I expected to have some. Maybe when I get further along it’ll start happening.”

“Did you make a doctor’s appointment yet?” I was in the middle of chewing, so I shook my head no.

“Not yet. Considering it’s the weekend I’ll have to wait until Monday. But would you like to come to my appointments with me? I’d really like someone to come with and you’re the only female in this town that I know of and I think dad would get uncomfortable.”

“Yeah, definitely. Just let me know, ok? I’m going to need to work around my school schedule.” I just smiled and nodded at her before going back to my food. We made small talk while we ate. She told me about her friends Angela, Jessica, Tyler, and Mike. Funny enough, Mike was the one who invited her to the movies, and Bella didn’t want to go alone with him. She told me that she thinks that Mike has the hots for her, but she only sees him as a friend. Which is why she invited Jacob along, hoping to avoid any uncomfortableness.  
“So, what movie are we going to see tonight?”

“Well, Mike wanted to go see some romantic comedy but I suggested we see Face Punch.” Oh brother. I heard about that movie. Critics said it sucked pretty bad. But I’ll stick it out for Bella, hoping it won’t get awkward between the two guys.

I was about to respond when I noticed someone walking over to our booth. Taking a second glance, my heart stopped. It was Andy. Fuck, what do I do?! How can I face him after what happened?! I wanted to make a dash to the bathroom, using my pregnancy as an excuse, but it was too late. “Maggie! Long time no see. How’ve you been?” I tried to steady my voice, but not hard enough.

“Oh, you know, just peachy. I was in the neighborhood and decided to stop by my dad’s and visit him and Bella,” I nodded towards my sister. I didn’t want to lie to him, but I didn’t want him to know the truth about my “visit”. “So what have you been up to?” I really wanted to get this conversation over with and get the hell out of here. I’m pretty sure Bella could sense that I did by the way that I was sitting and how I was doing my best not to look my ex-boyfriend in the eye.

“I’m doing great. I’m actually getting married this summer.” WHAT?! TO WHO?! My grip tightened on my silverware.

“Oh, really? Well congratulations,” I never tried so hard to hide my sarcasm in voice. Thankfully, Andy didn’t pick up on it.

“Thanks. Hey, well my fiancee’s here, you want to say hi?” Now I was starting to panic. No. No. No. No. This can’t be happening! But it was too late, Andy already turned towards where he came from. 

“Andy, I don’t think that’s nec-” But I suddenly lost my voice when I realized who was with him. My old nemesis from high school, Georgiana Evans. My breath was literally caught in my throat, bringing me back to yesterday when Marcus was choking me. She still looked like the bitchy bombshell she was in high school. Golden hair that could rival Rapunzel’s, a fake spray tan, and by the looks of it, implants. Of all the girls he could’ve chosen to move on with, he chose her?! You gotta be kidding me. I braced myself for the hurl of insults she usually threw at me. But to my surprise, she smiled.

“Maggie, hi!” I knew the bubbly personality she was showing right now was fake. She was never this nice in high school, especially to me.

“Georgiana, what a pleasant surprise.” Not. Unlike Andy, Georgiana could hear the sarcasm dripping from my voice, but she never indicated that it wasn’t a pleasant surprise. Except her eyes, which narrowed slightly.

“Oh my god Maggie, I haven’t seen you in, like, forever! What brings you home?” The sappiness that dripped from her voice was beginning to irritate me now. When I first met her, that voice and her outward appearance of being a bubbly school girl could fool you. But now that I’ve seen her true colors, I know better than trust the trap she laid out.

“Oh, you know, I was in the neighborhood and decided to visit my dad and sister.” I was afraid that if her smile got any tighter, it would ruin her injections. Although, I wouldn’t mind if that happened.

“How sweet,” in a very obvious move she placed her left hand on Andy’s shoulder, showing off the ring that sat on her hand.

“So I heard you two are getting married. Congratulations.” Now it was my turn to put on a fake smile. She smiled back at me with equal distaste.

“Yes, in the summer. In Italy.” I nearly choked on my orange juice, which obviously gave her the satisfaction which I was trying so hard not to give. I forgot that Georgiana was rich as hell. She made it her mission throughout high school that no one ever forgot that. Now I was looking Andy straight in the eye, my fake smile gone from my face.

“How nice.” Before Georgiana could respond, Andy interrupted our little “girl talk.” 

“So, uh, the gang’s all getting together next weekend and going out to La Push. You want to come?” Originally, I wanted to say no, wanting to avoid Georgiana and her bimbo ass at all costs, but all my friends from high school were going to be there, so I said yes. “Great. Well, we better head out then. Catch you later, Mags!” My throat tightened. That was the name he used to call me all the time when we were dating. I gave a weak wave as they turned out the door, catching Georgiana’s sour look she threw me. Turning back to Bella, I scowled and groaned with frustration. Bella reached across the table and put a hand on my arm.

“Hey, are you ok? Wasn’t that your old boyfriend?” Now that it was safe to release my aggression, I threw my hands up in the air in frustration.

“Of all the girls he could’ve picked, he picked her skanky ass! I don’t understand!” I really couldn’t. Georgiana really was a skank. She perpetuated the typical stereotype that all cheerleaders were sluts and bitches, which was unfortunate because myself and the other girls on the squad never acted like she did. At least, not as bad as she was.

“You know, you never told me why you broke up with him. You two seemed so happy.” Oh, now she wants to talk about break ups!? I pulled back and leaned against the booth. 

“It’s complicated Bella.” I folded my arms and looked down.

“Come on Maggie. If I confided in you, you can confide in me. We’re sisters, remember?” Damn it. Ensnared by my own trap. I took a deep breath before relenting.

“Bella, I broke up with him because I was scared.” She gave me a puzzled look.

“Scared of what?”

“Scared of ending up like mom and dad.” When I brought up our parents’ divorce, she froze a little, giving me another confused look. “Bella, he was going to ask me to marry me after we graduated.” Confusion to shock.

“Oh my god! Why didn’t you say yes Maggie?”

“Like I said. I didn’t want to end up like mom and dad. I didn’t want to rush into things like they did. I didn’t know if I was making the right choice, being so young. And I didn’t know if he was the one for me, even though I was deeply in love with him. Something deep down inside me just couldn’t…” I couldn’t even finish my sentence. Tears were starting to fall and I quickly wiped them away on my sleeve

“Hey. It’s ok.” By this time, Bella got out of her side of the booth and sat next to me, resting her head on my shoulder.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
We ended up finishing our meal in silence. As we drove home, I noticed it was starting to rain. I looked out the window like I was in a music video on MTV. Cliche, I know, but that’s what I felt like at the moment. I know I really hurt Andy, but I seriously can’t wrap my head around his choice of a fiancee. Ugh, I don’t have the time or the energy to worry about that now. Once we got back home, I told Bella to wake me up when it was time to go.

A few hours later, Bella and I were on our way as we headed downtown. Jake and Mike were going to meet us there. “Hey, you mind paying for Jake’s ticket for me? I only got enough for my ticket and some snacks.” I nodded, knowing that she would pay me back later. Although, I was confused as to why I had to pay for his too, when I remembered he was only 16. I keep forgetting I’m older than the rest of the kids on the Rez. After Bella found a spot to park, we walked the short strip to the movie theater. The first person I saw was Jacob, who waved at us enthusiastically. The blonde kid next to him must be Mike.

“It’s about time you two showed up.” Cheeky bastard.

“Shut up.” Jake pretended to wince as I playfully hit him in the shoulder, laughing. I went in line to buy the tickets for me and Jake. When I returned, Bella was mentioning how her other three friends couldn’t make it.

“Well, Jess bailed. And Angela’s got the stomach flu, so Eric’s taking care of her.” Once I joined the threesome Bella introduced me to Mike before we all headed in. I had to use the restroom before the movie, so I told Bella the guys to go on ahead. Once I relieved myself, I bought a soda and a small popcorn and headed into the theater. The movie already started when I entered the theater, and by the time I found the teens, the situation looked awkward. Bella was sitting in between the two guys, who were both holding the hands open on the rest, waiting for Bella. This was going to be a long movie.

As the movie went on, I found that I agreed with what the critics were saying. It was so bad. Sitting next to Jake, I looked over at the teens. Jake was laughing, probably at the stupidity and the terrible effects. Bella was picking at her nails, trying hard to avoid the hands of the boys next to her. And Mike looked like he was ready to throw up. Literally. And I couldn’t blame him. The movie was kind of gross. My hypothesis about Mike didn’t take too long to come true. He had enough.

“Ok, I think I’m going to throw up.” With that, he ran out of the theater. I guess Bella and Jake had enough too because they got up and left. I followed them, seeing there was no point on wasting the rest of my time on this stupid movie.

“So I assume none of you guys are going back in there?” I asked when I found the two by the stairs. Jacob snorted.

“Definitely not. That movie sucked.” I nodded in agreement.

“Agreed. Won’t be buying that when it comes out on DVD. Hey, I gotta hit the restroom before we leave, kay?” I looked at Bella, who just nodded. Man, people really weren’t kidding when they said pregnancy makes you pee a lot. Washing my hands afterwards, I started to walk out when I could hear Bella and Jake talking. Leaning against the bathroom wall, I decided to listen in.

“What, I can’t hold your hand?” Ooo, this was interesting. Did Jake like Bella? 

“No, of course you can. I just think it means something different to you?” There was a brief pause.

“Ok, well tell me something. You like me, right?” Another pause. “And you think I’m sort’ve, beautiful?” WHAT THE FUCK? What does that even mean??

“Jake, please…” Ok, so now I definitely know that Jake likes Bella. But does she like him? God, I hope so. He seems like the perfect type for Bella from what dad’s been telling me. “Don’t do this.” I’ll take that as a yes. I heard Jake scoff.

“Why?” Yeah, Bells. Why?

“Because you’re about to ruin everything.” What the fuck, Bella?! “And... I need…” Oh crap, was she still in love with that douchebag?

“Well, I got loads of time.” Yeeup. “I’m not gonna give up.” Woohoo! Go Jake!

“I wouldn’t want you to. But, it’s just that I don’t want you to go anywhere.” My heart broke for Bella. She was missing her old boyfriend but crushing on Jake. And she was scared he would run out on her like the last asshole. “It’s really selfish. You know, I’m not like a car you can fix up. I’m never going to run right. So I should be fair to you.” I hate it when Bella goes all metaphorical like that. And what did she mean by wanting to be fair to Jake. I leaned closer out the door, trying not to be spotted.

“It’s because of him, right? Look...I know what he did to you. But Bella...I would never, ever do that. I won’t ever hurt you. I promise. I won’t let you down. You can count on me.” God, I hope not Jake. Otherwise I might have to kick your ass. And I don’t want to beat the crap out of one of my friends. By this time, I had enough. I decided to mozy on out the bathroom. Lucky for me, Mike came out of the men’s room at the same time.

“You feeling better Mike?” He looked at me, still shaking a bit.

“Yeah. I think so. I told Bella this movie was a bad idea.” I smiled at him and we both walked to where Bella and Jake sat on the stairs that lead up to the theaters upstairs. “Well...I need to go home.” For some reason, Jake looks pissed. I noticed he and Bella were sitting very close. Crap. Mike and I must’ve walked in when they were about to- “I was feeling sick before the movie?” Jake was looking murderous, and I could sense that Mike was in the danger zone. And so did Bella apparently because she looked down right uncomfortable. Jake just scoffed at Mike’s excuse. And Mike just rolled his eyes. “What is your problem?” Oh boy, here we go.

“Right now, you’re my problem.” Damn. That was cold. As much as I liked Jake, that was a bit harsh. Mike seems like a nice guy, and I didn’t blame him for wanting to see this movie. Bella thought so too because she had a WTF face going on. “Feeling sick? Maybe you need to go to the hospital. You want me to put you in the hospital?” WHAT THE FUCK JAKE? Bella had enough.

“Jake, Jake, Jake, the movie’s over. What are you doing?” Poor Mike, I just wanted to reach out and hug him. “Jake...You’re really hot.” Ok, now I’m confused. Why would Bella say something like that in front of Mike, knowing fully well that he has the hots for her? Then I saw her recoil from him. She must be talking about his temperature. Facepalm! “Like you feel like you have a fever. Are you ok?”  
Jacob looked very tense, and I was starting to get scared. His fists were clenched, and his brow furrowed.

“I don’t know what’s happening.” He was starting to hyperventilate, so I decided it was time to leave. 

“Hey Bella, meet you by the truck, ok?” She just nodded and I turned to leave. Once I got outside, I leaned against the wall. I noticed Mike came out as well. “Hey, I’m sorry about Jacob. He usually isn’t this big of an asshole. Trust me.” He just nodded and looked towards the theater.

“I just don’t get what his problem is. The dude is weird.” I laughed a bit. Jake was definitely weird. In his own way. But so were Paul, Embry, and Quil. Man, I miss those guys. Hopefully I’ll see them when I head to the Rez next weekend. Suddenly, Jake came running out of the theater and down the street. I looked on at Jake’s retreating figure, wondering what the fuck was going on, but I let him go.

“Yeah, he seems pretty off tonight. But hey, are you alright? You look like you’re going to be sick?” Mike nodded.

“Yeah. I think I’ll be ok. I just need to get some rest. Tell Bella I’ll see her in school on Monday.” I nodded and watched him leave as well. Not long after Mike left, Bella came out of the theater and we slowly headed for her truck.

“Well, that was the biggest what the fuck moment I ever witnessed.” Bella nodded in agreement.

“Yeah. I don’t know what’s going on with Jake though. It doesn’t seem like him to act out that way.” 

“Maybe he’s got the flu that’s going around? You said that he felt really hot.”

“Yeah, he was really warm. Like it felt like touching a hot stove or something.” This had me intrigued. Usually only your forehead would get hot. And it wouldn’t feel that hot. I wasn’t a doctor, but I could tell something strange was going on, and so did Bella.


	5. Old Friends and Strange Dreams

The weekend had come and gone. Bella and I didn’t really do anything on Sunday. She just sat up in her room and all I did was drive by the diner to pick up an application, since I kinda need a job to support myself and my baby. I didn’t want to live with dad forever. Cora was still working there, after all these years, and she was happy to see me. Out of all the people in this town, she was probably one of the only ones I could trust with my secret. We sat down for a while and talked, asking me how I was doing. I let her in on the real reason why I was in town and she was very sympathetic. Since I left my other waitressing job (thank god I let them know ahead of time I was leaving) she said that she might be able to pull some strings and handed me an application. I gave her my thanks and headed home. The rest of my Sunday included lounging in bed wearing a sweatshirt with a pair of fuzzy pajama pants watching movies and looking up ways how I can continue my schooling online. Dad was upset when I told him how Marcus convinced me to drop out of college, muttering more about he was going to kill Marcus. I just rolled my eyes

As Monday rolled around, I was starting to feel a bit more comfortable living back home in Forks. However, there was still that never ending fear that Marcus could come after me, even though he didn’t know exactly where I lived. When I walked downstairs, Bella and dad were gone for the day,leaving me alone in the house. I noticed there was something on the kitchen table when I walked into the kitchen. Upon closer inspection, I noticed it was a can of pepper spray and a note from dad. I snorted as I picked up the can and inspected it. How typical. As much as I love my dad, sometimes I think he goes overboard.

Before I forgot, I called the hospital and set up an appointment with the doctor my dad saw to discuss my pregnancy. And since I’m still under 26 I could still go through my dad’s health insurance, thank god. Dad recommended the doctor he usually sees, Dr. Anderson, at the hospital nearby. Once I meet with him, he’ll probably refer me to a specialist that will monitor my progress. Once I called and made the appointment, I sighed and leaned against the kitchen counter and wondered what to do. I had the run of the house. The lack of good food in the cupboards reminded me that I should probably go shopping.

Dad left me some money next to the can of pepper spray, so I made the decision to go out. Heading back upstairs, I changed into a pair of yoga pants and a pink sweatshirt and headed back downstairs. Grabbing my purse and the keys to my car, I headed out the door.

The first stop on my itinerary for the day was to get gas. I ended up making it to Forks with almost an empty tank. Using the rest of the money I originally came with, I managed to fill up my car a little over a half a tank. With that task checked off, I drove to the grocery store. I didn’t really have anything particular on my list, just a couple of boxes of my favorite cereal and stuff to snack on. So far, either we ordered pizza for dinner, go out to the cafe, or Bella makes something. Last night Bella made lasagna after we came home from the movie. All I really needed was something for breakfast and snacks.

After picking up what I wanted, I headed towards the checkout line. The line I went into was kind of long, but I didn’t mind. I didn’t have anything to do anyway, so I let my mind drift, wondering what my baby will be and what he/she would look like. I strongly hoped that the baby would look nothing like Marcus. I was rubbing my stomach absentmindedly when a voice broke me out of my reverie. “Oh my god! Maggie, is that you?” I quickly turned to the source of the sound, only to discover it came from a person whom I haven’t seen since high school. My best friend growing up, Hannah Edwards. She was in the next line over. I waved across the rack of candy that divided us.

“Hannah! It’s been ages!”

“Dude, I know! So what brings you back home to Forks?” I blanche for a moment, wondering if I should tell her, seeing that we hardly spoke after high school. But I was conflicted. She and I grew up together, and told each other everything. Eventually, I made up my mind, determining to rekindle the relationship we had before I moved to Seattle.

“It’s kind of a long story…” I hesitated for a moment before taking a leap of faith. “But hey, did you wanna grab lunch? I can tell you then.” There was no way in hell I was going to blurt out my life story in the middle of a grocery store. Sensing my hesitation, Hannah gave me a knowing look and nodded.

“Of course! Wanna head down to the cafe after we drop our stuff off?” I nodded and smiled at her, telling her I’d meet her after bringing my groceries home. We waved goodbye as we left the store with our purchases and went our separate ways.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“Dude, no way! Are you sure?” Hannah and I were huddled in a corner inside Carver Cafe. I was picking at my Caesar salad as I told her why I moved back to Forks.

“99% sure. I go to the doctor’s on Friday.” Hannah just looked at me like I grew a second head.  
“So what are you going to do now? You’re not going back to Seattle, are you?” I vigorously shook my head no.

“Hell to the no! I’m not going to put my baby’s life in danger. I need a new start.”

“But have you told the cops, dude? I mean, with your dad being a cop, I bet he can round up his buddies and hunt down Marcus’ ass.” She grinned at me like a cheshire cat, much to my annoyance. How she can be funny at a moment is beyond me.

“Ok, first of all, stop trying to make me laugh because this is serious. Secondly, I’m not gonna send my dad and all of his cop buddies to go after Marcus. I don’t want my dad to get hurt. You have no idea what kind of people Marcus hangs around with.” I finally took a bite of my salad, relishing in it’s taste.

Our conversation went silent as Hannah looked at me, sympathetically this time. “Wow. I had no idea. But dude, why didn’t you get in touch with me sooner? We’re still friends online.”

“Because if I told anyone, Marcus would’ve killed me.” I set my fork down and hugged my knees to my chest, a tear slowly making my way down my face. Hannah reached across the table and put a hand on my shoulder.

“Hey. It’s going to be ok. Don’t worry, if he comes around, I’ll kick his ass for ya.” I smiled a little bit. Hannah always had my back growing up, always beating up someone who hurt my feelings. Now I feel bad for not keeping in contact with her after high school.

“Well, you’re going to have to get in line because my dad’s already beat you there.” We laughed a little bit. “So I have a doctor’s appointment on Friday at 2:30. I don’t if you want to come or not, but feel free to tag along. I already asked my sister to come along.” Hannah gave me the biggest grin when I asked her to come along.

“Dude, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” We both got up and leaned across the table, hugging each other.

“I missed you, Han.” I felt another tear roll down my face as Hanna hugged me harder.

“I missed you too, Maggie.” After our brief reunion, we sat back down and continued to eat our meals.

“So, are you going to La Push this weekend?” I hope she will say yes. I need somebody to hang around with so I can avoid talking to certain people.

“Dude, of course I’m going! But how’d you know we were all going to La Push this weekend?” Oh boy, here we go.

“Bella and I were kinda having breakfast at IHOP the other day and we kinda ran into Andy and his lovely fiance,” I rolled my eyes as I took another bite of my salad. Hannah’s face went sour real fast.

“Oh, so you heard about them, huh? Girl, I’m so sorry.” Hannah was perhaps the biggest fan of the relationship I had with Andy, and was devastated when we broke up. Other than Bella, Hannah is the only person who knows the complete truth about why I broke up with Andy.

I shook my head vigorously, trying to blink real fast. “No, it’s fine. I honestly don’t give a crap about those two.” Which was a total lie. I was completely heartbroken. But I wasn’t going to let anyone see beyond my mask. “Anyway, he invited me to come with. I heard our old gang’s going to be there, so I thought, why not?”

“Yeah, it’s going to be a blast! You want me to pick you up and we can drive up together?” I nodded, rolling my eyes a little as Hannah squealed. Sometimes her bubbly-ness went a little far for my tastes, but at least she’s genuine, unlike some other person I know. We sat for a while, catching up with each other, making up for lost time. Hannah ended up graduating from Gonzaga University, majoring in education. For some odd reason, she moved back to Forks. Almost everyone I knew in high school said that they weren’t coming back to Forks once they went off to college, but it seems this is being proven false every day.

We ended up giving each others phone numbers before we parted ways. Giving me one last hug, I told Hannah I’d text her when I would leave for my appointment on Friday so we can meet up. We waved at each other before we each drove off in our own direction. I looked at the clock, surprised by the time. It was already 12:30. Have we really been talking for that long?

By the time I returned, dad was still at work and Bella was still at school, so I decided to go upstairs and watch a movie. Before I left Seattle, I made sure to pack one of my favorites, Bram Stoker’s Dracula with Gary Oldman. It’s such a beautiful love story. I cry almost every time I watch it, especially during the end. But my favorite scene is where Mina begs Dracula to turn her into a vampire so she can be with him forever. And it’s erotic as hell. My mind started to wander as the movie entered the second half. Going back to my early teen years, when I was obsessed with vampires, or what dad like to call, my “goth phase.” This was back when I wore a black wig almost every day and dressed in dark, victorian-like clothing. I chuckled a bit, remembering how dad would roll his eyes everytime I came downstairs dressed like that.

I eventually grew out of my goth phase, but my love of vampires stayed with me. I’ve seen almost every movie about Dracula, but my favorite will always be the one with Gary Oldman. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a sucker for romances and the idea of eternal love or because it’s just so different from the other Dracula movies. I don’t know why, but I just think there’s something sexy about vampires and the whole biting someone’s neck thing. Plus, I consider myself an old soul that didn’t feel right in this time period. Suddenly, a voice from the hatch broke my reverie. “Hey Maggie. What are you watching?” It was Bella. I looked at my clock, thinking what the hell was she doing home so early only to discover it was a little past 3. And the movie had finished.

“Oh, hey Bells. Just got done watching Dracula. How was school?”

“It was alright. And Dracula? I didn’t think you were into horror films.” I smiled at her. She must not remember my “goth phase,” as dad put it.

“Oh, I’m not. But I’ve always had a fascination with vampires since I had to read the book for one of my classes. My fascination grew even more when I read Interview With a Vampire. Don’t you remember my goth phase?” Bella looked at me like I grew another head.

“You had a goth phase?” She scoffed and laughed at the same time. Bella would always visit during the summer, so I assumed that she would remember. But when she still looked at me funny, it dawned on me. Dad would always make me take my wig and makeup off before Bella came over so I didn’t scare her. 

“Oh yeah, I wore a black and some real heavy makeup too. Dark clothing and all.” Now Bella was full on laughing.

“Oh my god! What did dad think of it?”

“Well, he let me get away with the wig and stuff, but I really pushed it with the makeup! I’ll have to see if I can find some old pictures.” We shared a laugh before the room got quiet again. Bella climbed through the hatch and sat next to me on the bed.

“So...vampires huh?” I nodded, sensing that I was going to have to explain my weird fascination. “Why vampires? I would’ve thought you would pick witches and wizards and stuff like that since you’re so big into Harry Potter.” This was true. I cannot deny my addiction to Harry Potter.

“Well, I must admit, being able to go to Hogwarts and perform spells and stuff sounds fun as hell, but Bella…Just the idea of sleeping in coffins and sucking the blood out of people sounds a lot more exciting. Heh, I can remember this one time I tried to get dad to let me bring a coffin up here so I could sleep in it. That was a hard no,” I was too wrapped up in my own little world to notice that Bella went still.

“You really think vampires would sleep in coffins?”

“I mean, yeah, dude. Since they’d burn up in the sun they have to go sleep in coffins. It’s a common urban myth, Bells.”

“But what if that myth was wrong though? What if vampires don’t sleep?” This caught my attention. Was she trying to tell me something?

“Bells, unless you personally know a vampire that doesn’t sleep in a coffin, then I’m sticking with the urban myth. And if you do know any vampires like that, which I highly doubt you do, then send them over to prove me wrong.” We then spent the next half hour arguing over supernatural urban legends. Personally, I took it all as a joke, but the way Bella was acting made me think she knew something.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night, I had a hard time sleeping. While I was feeling much more comfortable in Forks, I still felt a little uneasy now that Marcus knew I wasn’t home in the apartment when he came back from work. My restlessness soon turned into a nightmare. I found myself running, with some sort of bundle in my arms. I looked down, noticing that I wasn’t pregnant but holding a baby in my arms. Suddenly, a voice rang out as I ran. A voice I hoped I would never hear again. “Come back here, you bitch!” It was Marcus. I tried to look back to see if he was chasing me, then I ended up tripping. Holding the baby tightly in my arms as I fell, I curled up in a ball trying to protect us both. The baby was crying when I looked up and saw Marcus towering over me. “Give me the baby, you stupid whore!” He tried to make a grab for the infant, but I managed to roll away.

“No, please! Please don’t hurt it!” I tried to get up and run but Marcus pulled me up by my hair and held a knife to my throat. I squeezed my eyes shut, preparing for the worst when I suddenly collapsed on the ground. I could no longer feel Marcus holding me hostage...And I heard a scream? Nervously glancing behind me, I saw a scene that made me want to scream. In front of me was Marcus’ corpse, surrounded by a pool of blood. Even more shockingly was a man standing in front of his body. A man that was dressed in a very expensive black suit and had long hair that was black as ebony. And skin white as snow? Dude, this ain’t right. He’s even whiter than Bella! And Bella is really pale compared to other white people I know. But what shocked me the most is that he had blood around his mouth. Dude, what the fuck was this?!

The way he looked at me made me feel like I was under a trance, even though I was quivering with fear. He must’ve noticed I was shaking and slowly walked over to me. I managed to get up back onto my feet and slowly backed away from this mysterious man, only to end up with my back against a wall. I clutched the baby closer to my chest as he placed one hand against the wall, blocking my left side. He then brought his other hand and carefully placed it on my cheek, making me shudder. When I met his eyes, they were red. WHAT THE FUCK?! 

“Don’t be afraid cara mia. You and the little one are safe with me.” His voice sounded like rich velvet, which made me even more entranced. He leaned forward a little, making it look like he was going to kiss me. But before anything could happen, I woke up.

Somehow, I found myself sweating, even though I was wearing a tanktop and shorts. Breathing deeply, I collapsed back on my back, trying to make sense of what just went on in my mind.


	6. The One With the Sonogram

Well, today is the big day. My first doctor’s appointment concerning my little peanut. I honestly couldn’t contain my excitement as I ate breakfast this morning. I asked Bella if she was still able to come to my appointment, since it was at 2:30, and she said she would. I smiled at her as she walked out the door to school. Before dad left for work, he gave me a long look before pulling into a tight hug, kissing the top of my head. I know he’s not happy about the circumstances, but I know he loves his grandchild very much. 

I didn’t have that much to do today, so I decided to head to the outfitters store and look at the baby stuff. Which reminds me, I need to turn my application into Cora. She wasn’t there on Monday when me and Hannah went to the cafe for lunch. So that was my first on my itinerary for the day. Luckily for me, Cora was there today, so I was finally able to hand in my application after forgetting about it in my purse for almost the whole week. I told Cora I had my first doctor’s appointment today, and she made me promise to bring the sonogram in. I smiled and promised that I would before I left the diner.

It didn’t take me long to get to Forks Outfitters from the diner. The town is so small, almost everything was crunched together. But what do you expect from a town with a population of 3,122 people. Soon to be 3,123 people. I smiled to myself at the thought of bringing the population up in Forks.

I didn’t need a cart for my little excursion, but I did grab a basket in case I found anything good for the baby. I wandered aimlessly throughout the store, trying to locate the baby section. It’s been awhile since I’ve been in this place. I eventually found it after asking an employee, and began to wander in between the aisles, starting with clothes. I honestly didn’t know what to choose, since I didn’t know the sex of my baby yet, so I stuck with gender neutral colors and ones with funny sayings on them. I did find a cute onesie that dad would love. It was white with a navy blue headband and leg warmer, and it said, “Some Heroes Wear Capes, Mine Wears a Kevlar Vest.” Dad was going to love it! Then I found one that looked exactly like a police uniform and one that said “I Just Did 9 Months on the Inside.” I really didn’t know what else to get, since I would have my shower after I found out the sex of my baby. So I just picked up a pack of diapers. I wanted to get a breast pump, but after looking at the prices, I decided that could wait until my shower. So I just went straight to the check-out line and headed home.

When I got back home, I took pictures of the stuff I got and sent them to Hannah. Apparently, she found the onesies as amusing as I did.

“Lmao, nice. Your dad’s gonna geek out.” I smiled as I read the text. Dad was totally going to freak when he sees these onesies.”

“Lmao, right?! You still coming to my appt?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, hun ;)” 

“Good. Meet us at the hospital around 2”

“See you then girl! Can’t wait to meet the bean :)” I smiled as I put my phone in my pocket as I took off my coat and hung it on the coat rack. Grabbing my bags, I went back upstairs and set the bags down on my desk. Now that I was home, I pondered what to do before my appointment. Absentmindedly, I opened one of the drawers of my desk, only to find a crap ton of pictures. I slowly sat down in the chair, pulling out the stack. Most of them were polaroids, due to the fact that I had a preference for the vintage type look over the digital and film cameras. A lot of them were of me and my friends growing up. I smirked as I found some of me in my “goth phase,” with the black wig present and multiple different gothic outfits. There were even some from Halloween, with me wearing those plastic fangs you get at arcades and my makeup done up like I was bleeding from the mouth. Good lord, I even had red contacts for some of these!

My laughter was cut short when a realization dawned on me as I made the connections. The red contacts I wore for Halloween. The man with the red eyes in my dream. And the blood around his mouth...No. It can’t be. It was just a dream. I distracted myself by looking at more pictures of me and my friends. There was a picture of me and Hannah, dressed in our appropriate uniforms. I was on the cheerleading squad and she was in the band. Back then, I thought we looked kind of dorky, since we both had braces. But now I think we looked kind of cute. Then there was a picture of me and my friends from the Rez. Quil, Embry, Jake, Paul, Leah, Jake’s older sisters Rachel and Rebecca, Emily, and little Seth. Out of all of them, I was the oldest one in the bunch. Of course, that meant I had to babysit a lot of them, but I didn’t mind. It’s how I grew close to them over the years.

Then there were pictures of me and Andy. My heart skipped a beat for a moment. There were pictures of me and him together, pictures I took of him, and pictures he took of me. I put the photos down and buried my face in my hands, trying not to cry. Once I composed myself, I went through all the pictures and put the ones of me and Andy face down in the drawer. I honestly didn’t know what to do with them now. On one hand, I could always burn them. But what if I wanted to keep them for memories sake? Argh! I can’t deal with this now. I slowly raised my head up, looking out the window and at the dreary weather. My mind wandered to the dream I had the other night. And about the tall, dark, and handsome man that saved me from an imagined Marcus. Wait, what?! I’m talking about an imaginary figure here! Or is he imaginary? Somehow, he feels imaginary but real at the same time.

Somehow, I could sense he was from a different time. While he dressed in a crisp, modern suit, it was the way he talked and the way he carried himself. It was exactly how I imagined my ideal man to be. What am I saying? I’m talking about a figment of my imagination, dammit! I shook myself out of my reverie, trying to forget about the phantom man that doesn’t seem to be real or imaginary.

At this point I heard footsteps coming up the ladder. I knew it was Bella, since dad really didn’t come up here. “Hey Maggie, ready to go?” I made a noise to indicate that I was. But then I could sense that she was standing right next to me, looking down at the embarrassing photos of me that lay across my desk. Oh boy, here it comes. “Oh my god, Maggie! Is this you?” I chuckled a bit. I wasn’t exaggerating when I told her I went all out vampire.

“You bet it is! You should see my Halloween pictures. That’s when I really want all out! But that was when I was older and out of my goth phase. And that dad didn’t know about.” We both laughed. And I wasn’t kidding when dad didn’t know about the Halloween pictures. It was when I was still in high school still, and I went a little risque with my outfits.

“Geeze, now I know why I never saw you like this.” I nodded.

“Yeah, dad made me take all of it off before you came over,” I rolled my eyes. “He thought you would get scared. Anyway, ready to go?” She nodded and we both went down the ladder. Once we got into my car (I offered to drive this time) I texted Hannah. And then we were off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dude, it’s kinda cold in here.” We were sitting in the exam room, waiting for the doctor. Bella and Hannah were sitting in the chairs next to the desk, and I was laying back on the bed

“Han, it’s the middle of January. Of course it’s going to be cold.”

“Dude, I know. I’m just saying, it’s kinda cold here.” Well, she wasn’t wrong. It was pretty cold in here.   
“So are you excited, Maggie?” I smiled at Bella.

“Bells, you have no idea.” Before she could say anything, there was a knock on the door, and Dr. Anderson walked in, giving us a smile.

“Well, it looks like I got both Swan girls here today. But it looks like I’m seeing…” He glanced at his clipboard for a moment. “Looks like I’m seeing Margaret today.” He smiled at me and offered his hand. I shook his hand and returned the smile.

“Maggie, if you please, doctor.” I really hated my full name. I truly did. At the time, mom was big into the royal family and couldn’t decide whether to name me after Princess Margaret or Princess Diana. I guess, in the end she settled on Margaret because she was always the rebel of the royal family and mom kind of saw herself that way too. I prefered Maggie though, since I considered Margaret an old lady’s name. Which I find hypocritical of me since I consider myself old fashioned in a way. I always loved history and planned on majoring it in college. I also loved how things were back when my grandparents were young. The way they dressed, the music, the hair. And most importantly, how men back then were real gentlemen. Something that’s a rare find nowadays.

“Well Maggie, what brings you in today?” I hate it when doctors say this. When I made the appointment, I specifically told the person in charge that I was pregnant and needed to make an appointment to see a doctor to get referred to a specialist. Oh well.

“I just found out I was pregnant so I kinda needed to make an appointment to be referred to a gynecologist since I just moved back here from Seattle.”

“I see. And when did you start having pregnancy symptoms?” I had to stop and think. I took my pregnancy test in the middle of January, but I felt a little weird at the end of December into the beginning of January, I told the doctor, who scribbled as I dictated my experiences. “Well, before we can do an ultrasound, we’d like to double check on the pregnancy test. So, I’m going to need to test you before we begin.” I inwardly scowled as he handed me a container and showed me where the bathroom was. After I did my business, I left the plastic container in the metal cabinet they used for stuff like this and walked back into the room.

“You know, I don’t get why they have to do this. I told them I was pregnant and they treat me like I’m a liar or something!” I threw my hands up in the air as I boosted myself onto the examination bed. Sometimes I hate being short.

“Probably just a standard procedure, dude. When my brother’s wife was pregnant, they asked her the same thing.” I forgot that Hannah had an older brother. I had to think for a few moments to remember David, who was 5 years older than me and Hannah. Before I could reply, the doctor came into the room, along with an ultrasound machine.

“Well, it does look like you are indeed pregnant, Miss. Swan.” Thanks for that, captain obvious! He had me lay back back on the examination bed, with my shirt rolled up to my chest, exposing my abdomen. I squeaked in surprise when Dr. Anderson put the jelly on my stomach. I never expected that shit to be so cold. I heard Hannah and Bella laugh in the background, with Hannah muttering something about putting this on MySpace. I realized that she must’ve taken a picture of me, and I flipped her the bird.. I gazed up at the monitor, and my heart got caught in my throat. Tears started to stream down my face silently.

“Is that…” I couldn’t bring my words out of my mouth. It all felt so real now that I could see the first picture of my baby.

“Yes, Miss. Swan, that is indeed your baby.” While it didn’t look like a baby yet, it was still the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Hannah and Bella must’ve moved closer because out of the corner of my eye, I could see them leaning over me. Hannah grabbed my hand and squeezed it while Bella put her hand on my stomach, both of them ‘awing’ at the monitor.

“How far along am I, Dr. Anderson?”

“Well, from what you’ve told me and from what I see on the monitor, it looks like you’re a little over two months Miss. Swan. You should be due sometime in August.” I smiled as he cleaned me up and printed off my sonogram pictures. He gave me a referral card to Dr. Reynolds on the OB floor and offered me congratulations before exiting the room. Once we were alone, Maggie and I began to jump and down, squealing.

“Oh my god, Maggie! I’m so happy for you!” We hugged for a moment before I pulled Bella into the group hug.

“Yeah. Same here!” I knew Bella wasn’t the one to show emotions, but deep down I knew she was just as happy.

“Aw, thank you guys!” My stomach gurgled, making us laugh. “I guess the little peanut is hungry. Do you guys wanna grab some lunch?” Luckily, they both agreed and we left the room, making our way out of the hospital. I told Hannah we’d meet her at the diner before getting into my car. But I didn’t start the car right away. I sat there in a daze, trying to comprehend what I just saw. It wasn’t until Bella put her hand on my shoulder.

“Hey, you ok Maggie?” I looked over at Bella with a dreamy look on my face.

“I just can’t believe it Bella. I can’t believe this little dot is my baby.” I hugged the picture to my chest and started crying. Bella pulled me into a hug. I probably looked like a weirdo for crying inside my car, but who cares. I was just so happy.

“Hey, it’s ok. You’re going to be a great mom.” Hearing this coming from my sister meant the world to me, making me cry even harder.

“Thanks Bella. And you’re going to be a great auntie.” We smiled at each other before I realized I forgot to show her the onesies I got for the baby. I pulled out my phone and opened up my pictures gallery. “Hey Bells, look what I found at the outfitters today.” I showed her the little police officer onesies, and she just laughed.

“Oh my god! Dad’s going to freak when he sees those!” I laughed.

“That’s exactly why I bought them.” We pulled apart and I started the car, slowly driving out the parking spot, heading towards the diner.

“So did you get other stuff or was it just the onesies?”

“Eh, I just got the onesies and some diapers, but that was about it. I wanted to wait until my baby shower to see what I got. Bella, you won’t believe how excited I am for that.”

“It’s too bad Alice isn’t here. She knows how to throw a great party,” I heard Bella mutter. I glanced over to her, noticing she looked more downcast.

“Alice?” 

“Edward’s sister.” I nodded, not saying another word on the subject. I kept on glancing over to her, to gauge her reaction. My heart hurt a little to see her stare out the window like she was lost. There was no way I was going to forgive this guy.

Hannah was waiting for us in the diner, already sitting down. Cora came right over and took our orders, and made a big fuss over my sonogram photo. Geeze, was this parade of hugs ever going to end? Once we got our food, we started discussing the baby.

“So what do you want the baby to be, Maggie? Do you want a boy or girl?” Oh, that dreaded question I wasn’t ready to face. In all honesty, I haven’t really thought about it. All I cared about was that my baby was healthy. Although, I secretly did have a preference over the other. But doesn’t everybody though?

“Eh, I don’t really give a crap as long as they’re healthy.” I didn’t want Hannah and Bella to know about my subconscious thoughts. But the look Hannah gave me indicated that Hannah saw right through my lie.

“Oh cut the crap, Maggie. Both you and I know that you’ve always wanted a girl. Even when we were little when we were playing house, you’ve always said you wanted a girl to dress up.” I threw my hands up in mock surprise.

“You caught me. Guilty as charged.” As we ate, we discussed what each of us wanted to do with our lives. Hannah wanted to get a teaching job here in Forks, I wanted to major in history, perhaps art, and Bella didn’t know what she wanted to do. I told her she better make up her mind fast, since she was graduating in June. She didn’t even know where she wanted to go to college! I suggested she go to the one in Seattle where I went, and of course Hannah suggested Gonzaga. Bella said she really didn’t want to go to a college in Washington, which shocked me a little. I would’ve thought she wanted to stay closer to dad, but I can see why she wanted to get away from Forks. She did say she was thinking about Dartmouth or somewhere in Alaska.

“So Bella, Maggie and I were going to go to La Push tomorrow with a group of our friends this weekend. You’re welcome to come along if you like.” I thought this was a great idea. Dad talked about how Bella should get out of the house more. He even threatened to send her down to Jacksonville by mom once. But she made a promise to get out more.

“Thanks, but I think I’m going to stay home. Apparently Jake has mono and Billy told me to stay away.” This caught my attention. Jake having mono? I’m not a doctor, but he looked fine to me that night at the theater. Apparently Bella’s been trying to call him all week but he hasn’t answered her calls at all. Which was quite unusual for Jake. A person wouldn’t ignore the calls of someone who they have hots for. Seriously! But then again, Bella did say Jake felt like he was burning up. But the way he ran out of the theater suggested that something was up. I was going to Google this shit later.

Our conversation was interrupted by a group of high school kids coming into the diner. “Hey Bella!” I turned to look at the source of the voice. There was that Mike kid, along with an Asian boy with a dark haired girl with glasses and another girl with caramel colored hair that was pushed back by a headband. They must be Eric, Angela, and Jessica. They came walking over to our table.

“You must be Bella’s sister, right? Nice to meet you! I’m Angela,” the girl with glasses said as she shook my hand. She seemed nice enough. The next one to greet me was Eric, who seemed like he was an overly eager puppy who followed you around a lot.

“Hi, my name’s Eric. I’m the eyes and ears around the high school. Tour guide, lunch date, shoulder to cry on…” I laughed as he listed off his adjectives and shook his hand.

The next girl, Jessica, seemed like she was the bitchy type. And I was sort of right. “So you’re Bella’s sister? She’s told us so much about you.” I gave Bella a side eye. Why does everyone like to talk about me behind my back? Seriously.

Smiling at her cautiously, I asked, “Oh yeah? What kind of things? All good things, I hope.” I laughed nervously, hoping Bella didn’t spill the beans.

“Oh, you know, she told us you moved here from Seattle and that you were going to have a baby.” Damn it Bella! Why do people keep spreading this?! The more people spread this around the closer it will get to Georgiana’s ears, and that is the very last thing I want to happen. But then again, I couldn’t stay mad at her. She didn’t tell the whole truth, so I guess it’s no big deal.

“That’s right. We just came back from my doctor’s appointment. I’m supposed to be due in August.” They all offered me congratulations before walking before walking back to their table. However, that didn’t stop them from looking over at us from time to time. I kicked Bella under the table.

“Ow! What was that for?” I lowered my voice so no one other than Hannah could hear.

“Bells, why did you go around telling people I was pregnant? I wanted this to be a secret!”

“Hey, I didn’t know that! When I told them you were moving back here and they wanted to know why.” I just grumbled.

“You said you wanted your pregnancy to be kept a secret?” Hannah asked me. She sounded worried. I gave her a suspicious look.

“Uh, yeah Han. Why? What did you do?” She looked down almost bashfully.

“Well, uh, I kinda told the rest of our friends that you were back and why you were back. If I knew you wanted it to be kept a secret, I wouldn't've told anybody. Oops.” I just glared at her.

“Hannah, you’re lucky I love you or I would kill you right now.” We ate the rest of our food in silence. When Cora brought us the bill, she told me that I got the job and started Monday. I smiled at her and told her I would see her then. After we paid our bills we left the diner. Hannah told me she would pick me up around 10 or so for La Push. I hugged her and got back into the car with Bella. 

At supper that night (Bella made spaghetti with meatballs) I showed dad the sonogram. He didn’t say a word, but I could swear I saw a tear or two. He pulled me into a hug and told me he loved me. I showed him the onesies I bought and he just laughed. “Maybe he’ll be a cop, just like his grand dad.” Bella and I laughed at that.

Going back up into the room, I sent mom a picture of the ultrasound, in which she sent me a long, mushy filled text. She asked me if she could plan my baby shower and I said yes. After texting my mother for a while, I decided I would do some investigating on why Jake was being so weird. Unexplainable anger. An urge to get violent. Sudden fever-like symptoms. Can’t explain one’s own symptoms. An urge to get away from people. I was about to give up because I couldn’t find anything when something caught my eye. Something I wouldn't have guessed in a million years. It listed off symptoms of a werewolf. I scoffed as I read through the list. There was no way in hell that werewolves could exist. Or can they? Then I remembered that day at Jake’s house, when I saw this huge, dog-like figure in the distance. I shook my head, thinking it was probably a regular wolf. 

I decided to call it a night and shut my laptop. I changed into some pajamas and crawled into bed, not knowing what my dreams had in store for me.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
I found myself walking through a forest, a forest which I couldn’t identify. Which wasn’t the strange part. The strange part was that I was wearing a red, Victorian ball gown with short, bubbled sleeves and a black petticoat. It also had black bows near the bottom of the skirt. I ran my fingers through the fabric, relishing in it’s silkiness. I always loved gowns like this, wishing girls still dressed like this. My hands wandered to the back, only to find a bow on my rear end and a corset-like top. It was perfect. But why the hell was I walking through a forest?

I was interrupted in my thoughts when I saw a figure emerge from the trees. I squinted my eyes, trying to figure out who it was. Walking closer, I discovered it was Jake. I smiled and walked closer, only to discover it wasn’t like Jake was himself. He seemed angry. I heard a growl, then right before my eyes, he transformed into a wolf. A gigantic wolf! As he lunged for me, I stumbled back and fell on my ass, screaming. Before he could come any further, a black blur appeared and knocked Jake away, very easily breaking his neck. When I opened my eyes, I found it was the phantom figure that haunted my dreams before. He was still wearing that crisp, black suit and kept his luxurious black hair clipped back. 

I got back onto my feet slowly, and walked backwards into a tree, with him following forward. This time, he was even closer to me than the last. I took a shaky breath as I felt his hands settle on my waste and travel up my body, sending shivers down my spine. My breath got caught when his hands settled on top of the bodice, grazing over breasts gently. Leaving one hand one my chest, the other wandered up to my neck and caressed it. What the fuck?! I wanted to protest, but my eyes fluttered shut in ecstasy.

“You have such a lovely neck, my dear. Very lovely indeed.” His melodious voice rang out and I moaned slightly. Suddenly, I felt him bite down on my neck. Hard. My eyes fluttered open and I gasped loudly. Then I woke up in sweat, one hand gently caressing my neck. Dude, what the fuck was wrong with me?


	7. La Push

I awoke to my alarm ringing at 9:30 in the morning. I groaned as I turned my head towards the irritating sound. Slowly sitting up, I climbed out of bed and walked to the alarm in a zombie-like state to my desk and turned my alarm off. Walking to my dresser, I pulled out a pair of leggings and a Forks High School sweatshirt. Getting dressed, I walked downstairs to the bathroom, brushing my teeth and hair. I didn’t really want to do anything fancy with my hair today so I just put it in a pony, since I planned on hiking with the others. Climbing back up the ladder, I collapsed on the bed, face down. I don’t know how I’ll be able to climb up here once my stomach starts to get bigger. Maybe Bella and I can trade rooms until the baby comes.

A loud beeping noise came from outside. Climbing out of bed, I looked out the window and saw Hannah waving from her car. I waved back before turning from the window, putting on a FHS ball cap and sunglasses before going downstairs to put on my coat. After locking the front door, I walked towards Hannah’s car, waving at her. “Hey, pretty mama!” I laughed as I got into the car.

“Hey yourself,” I said as she pulled out of the driveway and headed down US 101 towards highway 110. “Hey Han?” She glanced over at me before turning her eyes back onto the road.

“Hmm?”

“You didn’t actually tell people why I moved back, did you?” Sensing my suspicious side eye, she sighed.

“Well, I did tell them you moved back here and that you were going to have a baby, but I didn’t actually tell them why you moved. You’re not mad at me, are you?” I smiled a bit, relieved that my secret was safe. For now, at least, since both Billy Black and Harry Clearwater know the whole story. 

“Nah, I’m not mad. The important thing is that you didn’t tell them why I moved back to Forks. And that you made them promise not to tell Andy or Georgiana.”

“Of course I made them promise! I can’t imagine the shit that bitch would start up if she found out. But I really don’t understand why you don't want the others to know why you really moved back here, dude.” I rolled my eyes.

“Because, dude, I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me. That’s why.” I’ve always been somewhat of a prideful person. Not as prideful as Georgiana, but still. I didn’t need anyone’s sympathy.

“Maggie. We’re all friends here. And friends look after each other. It’s not feeling sorry for you. It’s called having concern for your welfare.” Geeze, she was such a nag. I muttered a mom comment under my breath, which she heard apparently. “I don’t know why you’re being so stubborn, Maggie.” I looked down at my hands, picking at my nails, a habit I’ve had since childhood.

“Han, I told you. I don’t need other people’s pity.”

“Dude, I told you. It’s not about that-”

“Look, can we please just drop it?” I snapped out of annoyance. From the corner of my eye, I saw Hannah flinch. I felt bad for yelling at her, but she had to know that there’s some stuff I want to be kept private. Including my abusive relationship. Plus, I didn’t want anyone to get any ideas about risking their lives for the sake of revenge.

“Geeze, ok! Sounds like somebody’s cranky today. Must be the pregnancy hormones.” I scoffed as she snickered over my elevated hormones. Just you wait, Hannah. Someday this will be you. We drove the rest of the way in silence. We planned to meet everyone at First Beach, which was absolutely gorgeous! The crescent-shaped beach was a mile long with a rocky shoreline with islands of rock rising out of the steel gray waters that had cliffsides. You could always see people jump from the multiple sized cliffs, but I was always too chicken to jump.

I was torn away from my thoughts as we approached First Beach, a group of cars awaiting us. Please, please, please don’t let Georgiana be here. As we pulled up by the other cars, I noticed some people that I knew. There was Micah and Jennifer, who played alongside Hannah in the band. Then there were my friends from the squad, Joss, Alana, and Monique. Then there were Terrance and Austin who were a part of the newspaper/yearbook committee. There were a few Quileutes I didn’t recognize, along with Andy and...Oh no. She’s here too! FUCK! Hannah must’ve seen them too because she let out a loud groan. “Oh god, why did he have to bring her along?”

I didn’t say anything as I got out of the car. The first person to greet me was Andy, out of all the people there.

“Maggie! Glad you could make it!” He tried to pull me into an awkward side hug, but I was able to pull away quite easily. While Andy seemed happy to see me, Georgiana sure wasn’t. Surprise, bitch. Once my name was announced the others turned and broke out into grins when they saw me and came rushing over to greet us. While Micah and Jennifer talked to Hannah, Joss, Alana, and Monique pulled me into a group hug. Unlike Georgiana and the rest of her bitchy pals, these girls were my lifesavers on the squad, always ready to kick butt for me if I asked them to.

In a low voice, Monique whispered, “Hey girl. Congrats.” The other two girls smiled at me.

“Yeah, congrats pretty mama!”

“Aww, thanks girls! I missed both of you.” Before the other girls could say a word, I heard someone say my name. Turning around rather quickly, I came face to face with one of the unfamiliar Quileutes.

“Maggie! How’ve you been girl?” Before I could respond, he picked me up and spun me around. Woah, deja vu.   
“I’m good, I guess? Do I know you?” He put me down suddenly, giving me a strange look.

“Maggie, it’s me. Quil.” I furrowed my brows at him. Excuse me sir, but Quil has long hair! I looked him over for a moment before I caught a glimpse of his eyes. I was shocked. This guy was Quil! But with shorter hair. Damn, he looked hot! I pulled him for another hug.

“Quil! The fuck did you with your hair, man?” I laughed as he spun me around again.

“Me and the guys thought it was time for a change. Plus it was becoming a real fucking hassle to deal with every morning.” I laughed, knowing too well how bad long hair could get.

“What do you mean all you guys-OH MY GOD!” When Quil put me down, I noticed that not only did he cut his hair, but so did Paul and Embry! They all just smirked at my reaction. “You guys, what the fuck did you do?!” I slowly walked over to Paul and Embry, running my fingers through their hair, trying to take it all in. I seriously couldn’t believe my eyes. Growing up, the three of them always had long hair. Always!

“What’s the matter, Maggie? Don’t you like it?” Both Paul and Embry laughed. I honestly didn’t know what to think. I have never, ever seen them like this, except when they were real little.

“Of course I like it you idiot. It’s just...Wow, dude.” I stood back and admired their short hair. I must admit, they all looked pretty hot, even for a bunch of teenagers. Paul must’ve noticed me staring and decided to crack a joke.

“You better watch out Embry, or your girlfriend might get mad if she finds out Maggie has the hots for you?” I playfully punched Paul in the arm.

“First of all, shut up you dumbass! Secondly, ew. Embry’s only 16 and he’s always been like a brother. And thirdly, you know I like older men! (AN: Oh Maggie, you have no idea)” This was true. Growing up, while every teenage girl was swooning over teenage heartthrobs like Leo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, and Jesse McCartney, I was swooning over guys like Gregory Peck, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, and my history teacher Mr. Thompson. And I would always get teased for it too. But hey, it’s not my fault guys my age acted like a bunch of buffoons. “And Embry has a girlfriend? Ooooo!” With my arm around his neck and shoulders, I imitated some kissing sounds, enjoying the embarrassment creeping onto Embry’s face.

“Oh, fuck off Maggie,” he said as he pulled away from my side hug.

“You know, I would do that Embry but isn’t that your girlfriend’s job?” With that, everybody let out a roar of laughter, no one laughing harder than Paul and Quil.

“Damn, bro, she got you good!” Honest to god I could see tears coming from Paul’s face, which made me laugh even harder.

“Shut up Paul!” I guess we might have gone a little too far because all of a sudden Embry threw a punch at Paul, who quickly dodged it. Then all chaos broke loose, and the fight broke out into a full blown brawl. Everybody was either cheering for Paul or Embry, while Quil and I observed from the sidelines.

Nudging my shoulder playfully, Quil said, “Way to go Maggie. You’ve disrupted the peace.” I looked at him, rolling my eyes.

“Me? This shit was all you, Quil.” Before Quil could respond, a booming voice made me jump.

“Paul! Embry! Knock it off!” I turned to look and found a burly looking guy, around 19 or 20 years old, with cropped hair and mean looking eyes. Paul and Embry, who were rolling around on the ground, froze immediately when they heard the booming voice. Once they looked up and saw who it was, they scrambled as fast as they could to get back on their feet, trying to pin the blame on each other, almost starting another fist fight. Good thing the burly looking guy was there to step in front of them. He looked strong enough to break up a fight. “Both of you, calm down!” It didn’t take long for the two to settle down, avoiding the burly guy’s eyes. And each other’s. “Now. What’s this all about?”

Me and Quil looked at each other nervously, as we both felt regret in egging the pair on. Sensing our discomfort, Embry spoke up, breaking the silence that fell between the group. “It’s my fault, Sam. I lost a bet to Paul and I didn’t have the money to pay him back. Then we started arguing, that’s all.” Wait a minute. Sam? As in Sam Uley?! THAT BURLEY GUY WAS SAM?! Damn, he got buff as hell. Last time I saw him he was a lanky teenager. I hardly recognized him. Sam looked at the two for a moment, not sure whether to believe him, but nodded. Then he looked at me. Crap. Did he know that me and Quil were the reason for the little scuffle? I mean, I shouldn’t be nervous, because it was just some silly teasing. But the way he looked at me gave me the shivers. Something’s changed around here, that’s for sure.

“Maggie, it’s nice to see you again.” Oh thank god, I thought as I mentally sighed out of relief. Not in trouble. I smiled slightly and nodded at Sam.

“Likewise Sam.” Sam didn't stay too long after setting Paul and Embry straight, only whispering to them silently before walking back to wherever he came from. We all stared as we watched Sam walk away.

“So are we just going to stand here or are we actually going to do something? Because I feel like it’s a waste of my time coming here.” Oh boy, here we go. We haven’t been here for 10 minutes and the princess is already whining. Paul, Quil, Embry and I all rolled our eyes, already feeling done with this bullshit. Andy suddenly looked nervous, as if his master plan to get everyone to get along with Georgiana was failing. And it was. When Bella and I had lunch with Hannah the other day at the diner, she told me that Andy was trying to be the good guy and try to get everyone to get along.

But that’s not the hilarious part. Hannah told me that Andy actually said that Georgiana was completely misunderstood in high school and that our hate was unjustified and we were just being petty. Are you fucking kidding me, Andy?! I’m almost 99.9% sure that he felt the same back in high school. Whatever. I was here to have a good time and catch up with some old pals.

“So, hey, why don’t we all go for a hike?” I could really see Andy sweat now. I knew there was going to be another complaint from Miss. High and Mighty over there.

“But baby, I’m not dressed to go for a hike. Plus, I don’t want to get my new shoes dirty.” I looked down to see that she was wearing an expensive pair of wedges. I just rolled my eyes. The beaches at La Push were really rocky and the woods were kind of hilly. Something tells me that she wore these on purpose just so she could get out of coming here. But Andy must’ve dragged her here.

I noticed that Monique and the rest of my squad pals walked up to me, just shaking their heads. “Man, I don’t know why he invited her. She’s nothing but trouble.” 

“Probably because he can’t keep his eyes off those fake tits of hers,” I scoffed as the girls gave me shocked looks.

“Girl, are you for real?” I don’t understand how they do not know this. All three of them were on the squad with me, and it was really obvious that Georgiana got implants.

“Dude, of course I am. There’s no way those can be real. I think she got them when she realized I was becoming the more popular girl on the squad.” This was true. Because of years of dance and gymnastics growing up, I was a natural on the squad, something that Georgiana wasn’t, even though she was captain. I was on my way to replace her as the captain when all of a sudden, her boobs expanded, entrancing many of the males at the high school, which secured her spot as team captain. That, and I had an accident which forced me to drop out of the captain tryouts, which I’m pretty sure was all her fault.

Soon we split into two groups: one group that wanted to go hiking, and the other group that wanted to stay at the beach and sit around the campfire. I went along with the hiking group, promising my girlfriends I’d meet them by the campfire when the hiking was finished. Besides me, Paul, Quil, Embry, Terrance, and Austin were the ones who wanted to go hiking. Terrance and Austin lead the way, while me and the other guys hung back. As we walked through the woods, I noticed there was one person that wasn’t there. Jake.

“So, hey, is Jake alright? He told me you guys weren’t speaking.” Which was weird because Quil was Jake’s cousin and Embry was Jake’s best friend. All three of them shared dark looks with each other, unsure whether or not to answer me. Paul was the one to break the silence.

“Oh, he’s fine. Jake’s just being a little bitch right now.” All three of them laughed, much to my surprise. Last time I checked Jake had mono, so why the fuck would they laugh at this?

“But Bella told me he had mono.” They just laughed at me.

“Oh, come on Maggie, you don’t really buy that excuse, do you? I mean, he went to the movies with you guys the other night, didn’t he?” Ok, this was kinda true. Jake looked perfectly fine when we met up with him at the theater, and even though he complained of not feeling good afterwards, he still looked fine.

“But Jake’s dad said-” I was cut off again by Quil.

“Well of course his dad would say that. He doesn’t want you or Bella to get scared.”

I scoffed. “What would we be scared of?” That’s when Paul and Embry threw him daggers, which made him nervous for some reason.

“Uh, never mind. Forget it.” Now I was really curious. They were hiding something, just like Bella was hiding something from me.

“Nah, come on Quil. Tell me.” Now all three of them looked uneasy as we continued walking through the woods. There were a couple of places we had to carefully walk around, or step over, but I loved it. Dad and I would always visit the Rez when I was little, and we’d hike all the time. I forgot how green it was here. I can’t wait to bring my baby here.

“Just forget I said anything, Maggie.” Ok, now I knew something was up. Was everyone in Forks hiding a secret?

“Come on, Quil. It can’t be that big of a secret that you can’t tell me. We’ve always told each other secrets.” This was true, especially for Quil. He would always tell me when something was bothering him, so seeing him act like this was weird. He was about to answer when Paul interrupted.

“Trust us, Maggie. This isn’t something you want to get involved with. For your own safety.” This alarmed me. Were they doing drugs? God I hope not. Hopefully it was just some stupid prank they pulled.

“Oh, come on! Is this about one of your stupid pranks? Because you guys have really pulled some stupid-” 

“Just trust us, Maggie. Ok? You wouldn’t believe us anyway.” Ok, what the fuck does that mean? I decided to push my luck.

“Oh, come on Paul. Try me. You know i’d believe you-” but I was cut off by the three of them.

“Just give it a rest, Maggie!” Damn dudes, calm down! I rolled my eyes. One of these days I’ll get them to spill the beans. I was suddenly broken from my thoughts when I nearly tripped on a tree branch that blocked the trail, and I felt a pair of strong arms pull me to the side. 

“Geeze Maggie, watch where you’re going,” Embry joked, making Paul and Quil laugh.

“Yeah Maggie. You wouldn’t want to hurt the cargo you’re carrying.” Wait, what? I looked at the trio with a suspicious look. Please don’t tell me they know.

“What the hell are you talking about, Quil?!” 

“Well, you are pregnant, aren’t you?” FUCK! Whoever told them will face fury with an intensity of a thousand suns! I glared at them as they laughed.

“And you know this how?!” My shouting at them only made them laugh harder. I forgot they think it’s funny when I get mad.  
“Well, your dad told Jake’s dad, who in turn told it to Quil’s dad and Mr. Clearwater. And of course Quil’s dad told him and Quil told us.” They continued to laugh, much to my annoyance. My anger must’ve boiled over because I felt a rush of adrenaline and slammed Quil into a tree, shocking all three of the boys.

“Listen here, you morons! No one is to know about this, do you understand?!” They stared at me, still in shock that I managed to shove Quil against a tree. Geeze, Bella wasn’t lying when she said that Jake felt warm. Quil felt like a bonfire.

“Why not? I thought women were happy when they found out they were having a baby.” I slowly released Quil, slowly rubbing my temples out of frustration.

“Look guys, I’d rather not talk about it, ok?” Crap. I should've said that because now they were pestering me with questions.

“Why not, Maggie?”

“Yeah, are we not good enough to tell your secrets to?” They all just laughed, making me even more mad.

“Look, when I said I didn’t want to talk about it, I don’t want to talk about it, ok?! I have my secrets, and you have yours. So just drop it ok?!” This stopped them real fast. They stared at me like I had grown another head.

“Damn Maggie, ok! Geeze, someone’s got a case of the hormones today.” I glared at them as we continued along the trail, stopping every once in a while to look at some animal tracks and bird nests, talking amongst ourselves. Embry finally opened up about his girlfriend, who was a girl in his class named Julie. They haven’t been dating long, but I guess he really likes her. We must’ve been hiking for a while because it started to get dark out, so we headed back to the campfire on the beach.

By the time we got back, someone already started to grill, and it smelled delicious! I made myself a burger before plopping down on a driftwood log in between Monique and Hannah. Everyone sat closely together around the fire. Except for Andy and Georgiana, who did not look happy. At all. I whispered to Monique, “Dude, what did I miss? The blonde barbie looks pissed.” I nodded my head in the direction of the lone pair sharing a log. Monique just rolled her eyes.

“Girl, you should’ve been here. Once you guys went off on your hike, the wicked witch over there started to complain it was too damp and wet out, complaining that it would make her hair friz. Then she complained that she was too high class to hang out at a dump like this.” Hannah and I snickered at this. Unfortunately, Georgiana heard us and glared at us.

“You know, it’s kind of rude to talk behind people’s backs like that.” Monique and I rolled our eyes at each other. Being the brave one, I decided to respond.

“Well, it’s pretty rude to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations. But I guess you wouldn’t know that, since you always had to put your nose in other people’s business. It’s not my fault you’re a buttdinksi.” Everyone around the campfire laughed, except for Georgiana and Andy.  
I heard Paul mutter to Quil, “Damn, she’s really on fire today.” I decided to step up my game a notch.

“And you know what else is rude? When someone invites you to hang out and all you do is act like a complete bitch to them. Like seriously, why did you even bother to come if you’re going to act ungrateful?” Everyone was hanging on word for word.

“Hey, I never asked to come along in the first place. And you’re the one to talk. You weren’t even grateful when I allowed you to stay on the squad after you disrespected me so many times.” Here we go. Inventing stories that never happened. Sure, I talked crap about her behind her back but I was never so outwardly rude to her like she was. And what did she mean that I disrespected her. All I ever did was offer suggestions on how to better our routines. I was so done with her bullshit.

“Ok, first of all, I never ever disrespected you. All I ever did was offer new routine ideas, but you would keep shutting them down. No wonder we’d never make it to first place.”

“Oh please, I shot them down because we were perfect already. Those judges wouldn’t know a good team if they saw one. But I guess it was kind of hard with you and those girls on the team.” She nodded her head to Monique, Joss, and Alana, who looked furious. That’s it. That was the last straw.

“Oh, please. You and I both know that you were losing your edge and I was going to become the team captain. Until that little stunt you pulled.” Georgiana just rolled her eyes.  
“Whatever. I bet I can still beat you at a competition.” An evil grin spread on her face. “What do you say? You and me, an individual competition. Right here, right now. These low class people you call friends can be the judge.” At this remark, there were a lot of outbursts and snarls, which Georgiana pointedly ignored.

“You’re on!” Georgiana wanted to go first, as always. Kicking off her shoes and pulling out her phone, she scrolled through her playlist before setting it down on the log. She walked towards the sandy part of the beach to make it easier on her. It took a moment for the music to play, and when it did I rolled my eyes. It was “Mickey” by Toni Basil. God, that song is so overrated. I wasn’t going to lie, she was pretty good, but some of her timings were off and she stumbled a bit on her jumps, cartwheels, and flips. We all clapped politely as she finished her routine with a smug smile. 

She walked past me and whispered, “Your turn now, bitch.” That got the fire started inside me. Scrolling through my phone, I found the perfect song. It was the song I chose to play at the state individuals competition from high school. That’s what decided that I should be in the running for captain. Since I had tennis shoes, I didn’t need to take them off. I turned the volume up on my phone and handed it Monique. Standing where Georgiana was on the sand, I signaled for Monique to press play. It wasn’t going to be as fun without the poms, but I psyched myself up. Before I knew it, a guitar riff blared through my speakers, with the voice of Tommy Tutone singing “Jenny’s Number”. As I waved my arms in the motion like I would with holding the poms, I practically remember my routine from state perfectly. The crowd around the campfire cheered when I did the toe touch jump, landing in a perfect split before quickly sliding back onto my feet. 

Doing more arm and leg motions, I felt more alive than I did these past few months. I really missed doing this with the team. Putting my gymnastics training into use, I did a round off before doing a backwards handspring, causing the crowd to go wild. I noticed a few more people joined our party, including Leah and Seth Clearwater. I did a few more moves before landing in a perfect fourth-position. I must’ve clearly won the competition from the noise the crowd made. Looking at Georgiana, who clearly looked furious, I gave a smug smile, lifting my nose at her. Ha! Still got it, bitch. I heard shouts from the crowd.

“Way to go Maggie!”

“You go girl!”

“Hey Maggie, that was pretty good for a pregnant woman.” Then the world froze, everyone becoming silent. The only thing you could hear was the campfire crackling and crickets. I looked to see who it was, plainly furious. It was Quil. Dammit. The glare I gave him made him cower, remembering what I told him before. “Oops. Sorry.” I didn’t have to wait long before people started to break the silence. From the look I saw Hannah give, I knew this was going to be bad.

“Wait, what?” I heard Jennifer say, with Terrance, Austin, and Micah whispering amongst themselves.

“Whose pregnant?” 

“Maggie is, you dumbass. Geeze Seth, didn’t you hear dad talk about it?” I heard Leah say. I looked at Andy, who was perhaps the most shocked person in the group right now. And, of course, Georgiana was smirking. Before anyone could congratulate me, the wicked witch herself spoke out.

“Well, well, well. Looks like little Miss. Perfect isn’t so perfect after all. So tell us Maggie, who’s the daddy? Or maybe you don’t know, since you’re that big of a slut.” That’s it! Before any warning, I launched myself at Georgiana, knocking her off the driftwood log. As we rolled around, punching and clawing at each other, I could hear the crowd gather round, all of them cheering for me.

“Yeah, take your tops off!” Oh my effing god, Seth was such a fricken pervert! Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Leah backhand her brother, causing him to yell ‘ow’. It took a few moments before I felt a pair of strong arms tear me away from Georgiana, who was pulled away by Andy. 

“Oh my god, what is your problem you freak?!” She’s the one to talk. Feeling tears start to well up, I nearly lunged at her, with both Quil and Paul holding me back.

“You want to know what my problem is? My problem is that I was raped you dumb bitch!” The crowd gasped, mumbling amongst themselves. Andy looked almost heartbroken, while Georgiana looked stunned. “What? You have nothing to say about me being raped and beaten by my ex boyfriend?” I yanked myself out of Quil and Paul’s grip, walking back to the log to grab my stuff. Andy was the first one to follow me as I walked back to Hannah’s car. I felt him grab my arm, forcing me to turn to look at him.

“Maggie…” My heart almost broke looking at him. He really did look heartbroken, and not full of pity like I thought he would be. I stared for a moment before yanking my arm from his hand, walking to the car. Getting in, I slammed the door, trying to contain my tears. Not long afterwards, I heard Hannah climb into the driver’s seat. She pulled me into a hug and held me for a while as I cried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, in Volterra  
Aro POV  
I was sitting on my throne after finishing off another group of humans that Heidi brought us, when I felt it again. Even though my heart stopped beating over a thousand years ago I still felt an intense pain in my chest. I grimaced, trying not to invoke my emotions in front of the guard and my two brothers. I briefly excused myself and strode from the throne room, making my way to my office in a different part of the castle. Once locked in my office, I leaned against the door and clutched my chest, allowing my face to show my emotions that I so easily hid. This wasn’t the first time I felt this way.

Over the course of the past year or two, I sporadically felt small pangs of pain in my chest, some being more violent pangs than the others. I was perplexed by this phenomenon until Marcus explained it. Whenever one’s mate suffers any emotional or physical pain, the other mate feels it just as strongly. Somewhere, someone was causing harm to my own mate. I growled at the thought. Knowing how Marcus became when I killed Didyme, an act I greatly regret. I couldn’t stand the thought of losing my own mate. Whenever I felt these pangs, I would wander through Volterra at night, trying to distract me from the pain. But nothing could distract me from the suffering my mate was feeling. Soon I will find you, Cara Mia, and I will hunt down the monster who hurt you.


	8. Birthday Surprises and the Truth Pt. 1

January soon came to an end, and February rolled in. I started my job at the diner, finding it enjoyable, despite the low pay. Although I found it kind of weird when dad and Bella came in all the time. The first couple of times were to embarrass me, but then they just came in because Bella didn’t feel like cooking. But I did enjoy working at the diner, and my days were even better when Cora was there. I also enrolled in some online classes through the UW in order to complete my history degree. While my academic and work life was good, my personal life wasn't. 

Ever since that day at La Push with all my friends, I’ve been kind of ignoring any calls, except for Hannah, who ended up giving my number to a bunch of people when I moved back. But besides Hannah, Bella, and dad, I’ve been sending all calls to voicemail and been ignoring all texts. Andy was the one trying to call me the most. His voicemails were pretty sad actually, almost desperate. He kept on saying how Georgiana was really sorry, but I didn’t buy that crap for a moment. “Dude, you gotta answer them sometime,” was what Hannah texted me when I told her about all the texts and voicemails. I just shook my head. I didn’t want to deal with other people and their pity right now. As my birthday on the 14th creeped closer, I got an unexpected visitor when I was working.

It was a slow shift that day, with very few customers that day. Cora was working that day thank god, because I would have died of boredom. We talked about what I was going to do when the baby came. I said I was going to live with my dad for awhile, until I saved up enough money to get an apartment, and that I was taking some classes online to finish my major. She said that if I ever need a place to stay, I could always come and crash at her place. I smiled and thanked her for the offer before going off to clean some tables.

When the bell that hung on the door rang, I turned to greet the customer that came in, only to be taken aback by who it was. There, standing before me with a downcast expression, was Andy. He was the last person I thought I would see. We stared at each other for a moment before he broke the silence. “Hi.” His voice had cracked, and I knew he was trying not to cry. Or he did a lot of crying before he came here. 

I waited for a few minutes before greeting him. “Hi.” I looked down at my feet, my stomach slightly swelling. I fiddled with the rag in my hand, not sure what else to say. Thankfully, Andy spoke up again.

“Can we talk?” I just rolled my eyes.

“I’m a little busy right now Andrew,” he flinched a little as I said his full name. I turned to go to another table, thinking he would leave, but he ended up following.

“For an empty diner, you sure don’t look busy,” he chuckled nervously. Was he trying to make this funny? Because it’s not. I looked up and saw Cora looking at us rather nervously. I walked back behind the counter, with my back towards Andy. “Maggie...Please…” I let out a heavy sigh and looked at Cora.

“You can go on a break sweetie, I’ll finish this.” I nodded, and slowly turned towards Andy, who smiled sadly. I didn’t look at him as I walked past.

“Let’s go.” He followed me out of the diner and indicated that we should talk in his car. After we both climbed in, none of us said a word for a while. Glancing out of the side of my eye, I noticed he was crying before looking away. I didn’t like seeing other people cry.

“Why didn’t you tell me he was doing that to you, Mags,” his voice was real quiet. I wanted to cry too, but I was so angry, not at him but for letting him go.

“Because it was none of your damn business, that’s why!” I saw Andy flinch, and I felt a twinge of regret for yelling at him.

“I could have saved you, Mags.” Oh crap, now he was really starting to cry. This was going to get ugly real fast. Even I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Absentmindedly, I grabbed for his hand, and he took it without hesitation.

“There was nothing you could do, Andy,” I whispered silently. He let go of my hand and banged his hand against the top of the dash, making me jump.

“But I could’ve done something!” I’ve never seen him so emotional before. While he had trouble hiding his emotions from me, I’ve never seen this side of him. We sat in silence for a few minutes before Andy spoke again. “What are you going with it?” Did he seriously just call my baby an it? Granted, I don’t know the sex but come on! That stung a little. I gave him a wary look.

“What?”  
“What are you going to do with it? The baby” I answered almost immediately.

“I’m going to keep the baby, Andy.” This apparently was the wrong answer because he slammed his hand on the dash again.

“Why?” His voice became deadly quiet, making me shiver.

“Why what, Andrew?” There was an edge to my voice now, after sensing what he was implying.

“Why do you want to keep that...that thing?!” My tears of sorrow turned into tears of anger. How dare he call my baby such a derogatory label?!

“Don’t call my baby that Andrew! My baby’s not-” I was cut off suddenly.

“Would you prefer the term monster?” I gasped. He was toeing the line before but now he officially it! I slapped him across the face.

“Andrew Jonathan Spencer! How dare you say such a thing! Are you suggesting I get an abortion?” The care fell silent for a moment, and my heart sank.

“That would be the preferred option, yes.” Andy said quietly, still rubbing his cheek. I started to cry again, slightly shaking.

“I don’t know how you can suggest a thing, Andy. I’ve never been more disappointed in you.” He looked up rather quickly, his eyes hurt. 

“But Mags, I’m only trying to look out for you!” I slapped him across the face, not having any regret this time around.

“Looking after me, my ass! There is no way in hell that I’m getting rid of this Andy! And I’m not going to let anyone take them away from me!” I started to open the door.

“But Maggie-!” I didn’t let him finish, slamming the door once I got out. I didn’t even look back when I went back into work.

Andy stopped texting and calling after that, which I was glad for because I wasn’t in the mood to talk to him. After that incident, I remained isolated, only talking to Hannah and the guys from the Rez. They kept begging me to come back to La Push, and I kept telling no. Until they mentioned wanting to get together for my birthday, so of course I had to relent. 

The day of my birthday arrived fast enough. I still think it’s a bit strange that I was born on Valentine’s Day, because I feel like being born around such a significant holiday eclipses one’s own birthday. But somehow, I never had that problem. Dad never forgot it because he raised me as a single parent, and he never really dated anyone after mom left. So I would always be his valentine, which was nice. Every year he’d get me a bouquet of red roses and a box of chocolates, all milk with no nuts. This year was no different.

When I walked down the stairs that morning, I found that dad was still at home. Bella was at school of course, given it was a Tuesday. He smiled at me when I came into the kitchen.

“There’s my big 23 year old. Happy birthday, kiddo.” He handed me a standard bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. I smiled and hugged him.

“Thank you daddy.” I smelled something I didn’t even notice when I came down. “Dad, did you make pancakes?” This was strange. Dad never usually cooks, except for when I was little, when it was just me and him.

“Of course. It is your birthday after all.” I served dad and I some pancakes before joining him at the table. 

“How come you’re not at the station dad? Don’t you usually have to go in on a weekday?”

“Took off. I wanted to spend your special day with you.” I smiled at him. He’s done this for every one of my birthdays. Never missed one.  
“Aw, thanks dad.”

“So what do you have planned for your birthday? I kinda wanted to take you and Bella out to eat, but if you have plans…” I laughed.

“Dinner sounds great. I mean, I was going to drive out to the Rez this afternoon, but I can make it home in time for dinner. What time were you thinking?”

“Around 6 or 7, depending if Bella has anything.” I nodded as I took another bite of my pancakes. “So how are you feeling with all this baby stuff going on? You feeling alright?” I nodded. 

“So far I’m good. I haven’t been having any cravings lately but I have been feeling nauseous lately. I do have a doctor’s appointment on Friday, though.” He nodded, not wanting to go any more into detail.

“So, have you been telling your mom all this? Because you know how she can be when she’s not involved.” He rolled his eyes and I laughed. Yeah, mom was pretty scary when she wasn’t informed of things. She’d call me every week growing up when I was with dad. It got pretty annoying.

“Of course, dad. I definitely know how mom gets, so I wouldn’t dream of leaving her out of the loop.” We both laughed before going back to our breakfast. 

I sat with dad for a while, watching ESPN. The Seahawks just lost the Super Bowl and baseball wasn’t scheduled to start until the beginning of April, so there weren’t any good games to watch. Well, except for basketball. But I hated basketball. I decided to leave for the Rez around 2:30, since the boys would be out of school by the time I arrived. I changed out of my pajamas and put on a pair of yoga pants, a pastel yellow knit sweater. Feeling lazy, I left my hair in a bun before heading back downstairs. I said goodbye to dad and went out the door.

The guys wanted to meet at Emily’s place when I got there. Emily was Seth and Leah’s cousin, and I enjoyed her immensely, even though I haven’t known her as long as I did with the rest of my friends at the Rez, due to the fact she grew up on another reservation. But I liked her. She didn’t put up with the shenanigans of Quil, Embry, and Paul. Plus, she made great food.

I arrived at Emily’s place a little after three, with Quil, Paul, and Embry already waiting for me. Once I stepped out of the car, I was suddenly surrounded by an eager bunch of Quileutes. “Maggie! Happy birthday girl!” Paul picked me up and spun me around, making me nauseous.

“Paul, if you don’t put me down right now, you’re going to have baby barf all over you!” That must’ve scared the shit out of him because he put me down right away, causing the other’s to laugh. Once the laughter died down, everyone got serious. Quil and Embry walked up to join me and Paul.

“Hey, about the other night, are you ok? That chick you were fighting with seemed like a bitch.” Good ole Quil. Always having my back. 

“Yeah, no kidding. I wonder who the hell invited her in the first place,” Paul said, rolling his eyes as I scoffed.

“Didn’t you say you went to school with this chick?” Embry asked, and I nodded in response.

“Unfortunately. And Andy invited her. They’re engaged apparently and Andy wanted everyone to get together and sing kumbaya and hold hands,” I rolled my eyes. “Not like that was going to happen. She was a major bitch to everybody, and everybody, in return, hated her.” We went silent for a few moments before Quil spoke up.

“But are you alright, with everything that happened? Like damn girl, I wish you would’ve told us that shit was happening.” Paul and Embry nodded in unison as I sighed.

“I wish I could’ve Quil, but he told me he would kill me if I told anybody.” I heard a growl from Paul, and I saw something that scared me. His eyes dilated real fast, and his breathing picked up pace. I thought he was going to explode. And so did Quil and Embry apparently because they whispered something to him, and Paul calmed down pretty fast, smiling at me despite the look I was giving him. Trust us, Maggie. This isn’t something you want to get involved in. For your own safety. Paul’s words from the other night came back and haunted me. Was he trying to warn me about something? Perhaps about what happened just now? Weird.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now. What’s important is that you escaped and are finally free!” I laughed as Embry picked me up and spun me around before setting me down quickly, remembering the warning I gave Paul. I heard the sliding door open, and a young woman with wavy black hair came out.

“Maggie! Happy birthday!” She came and gave me a tight hug, which I returned.

“Thank you! How’ve you been Emily? I haven’t seen you in a while.” We pulled apart and she gave me a serious look.

“I’m fine, but how are you doing? Uncle Harry told me what happened.” I would be surprised by this, but nothing surprises me anymore.

“As good to be expected. Which reminds me, I brought my sonogram with me. Did you want to see?” Emily nodded enthusiastically, and she awwed when I showed her the picture. The guys came around and peeked over our shoulders to get a better look. 

“So when are you due?”

“The doctor said sometime in the middle of August.”

“Oh good, I can tell Aunt Sue that. She still wants to talk to you, you know.” I nodded, making a mental note to call her later. I’ve been meaning to, but I’ve been so busy. When we went inside, I was amazed to find this great, big chocolate cake with chocolate icing. In red lettering, which I assumed was because I was a Valentine’s baby, said “Happy Birthday Maggie” with little hearts decorated around it. 

“Wow, Emily, this is amazing. Thank you!” I hugged her again, and she just laughed. We decided to wait for some of the other guys to show up. Sam ended up showing up, which was surprising. But not as surprising at what I saw. He greeted Emily by kissing her! What the fuck, last time I checked he was going out with Leah! I would have to ask Quil about this later. Then Seth came in, but without Leah. Which was strange, because those two were like peas in a pod.

“Hey Maggie! Happy birthday!” I greeted him with a hug, ruffling up his hair.

‘Thanks kid. Hey, where’s Leah? You guys are never apart.”

“Oh, she said she wished she could make it, but she couldn’t come because she’s been sick.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sam and Emily look at each other. I didn’t really buy Seth’s excuse but I decided to roll with it. “But she did ask me to give you this and to wish you a happy birthday.” I smiled and nodded, unwrapping the gift. It was a beautiful dreamcatcher with some pretty magnificent bird feathers and beads. I smiled. I would have to put it over my bed.

I noticed that one person wasn’t here that should be. Jake. He would always come to my birthday parties. I wanted to ask about Jake, but decided against it, remembering the last time I asked about him. 

I was embarrassed when they sang happy birthday to me, which was not an unusual feeling for me. I always hated it, since I was a naturally shy person. After blowing out my candles (I wished for a healthy baby) Emily cut into the cake and we all started eating. “Ladies first!” She scolded the four younger boys, who went after the cake. I just had to laugh. Those boys were always hungry. After eating the cake, it was time to open presents. From Emily and Sam, I got a baby quilt with a woodsy type pattern, with deer, wolves, trees, and owls on it. Emily said she made it herself, and I thanked the both of them warmly. Paul got me a necklace with colorful beads and stones, with matching earrings. Embry got another necklace, which had a flint arrowhead hanging from it. And Quil got me a book about Quileute legends. 

I thanked them all and decided to hang around for a little bit. While Sam and Emily stayed behind, the rest of us drove to First Beach and sat on the driftwood logs talking. When it was getting closer to 5, I decided to call it a day, and waved at the guys before getting back into my car. When I got home, Bella came and hugged me, wishing me a happy birthday and handed me a gift. “Aw Bells, you didn’t have to get me anything.” She just smiled and told me to open it. It was a parody sign of the Friends logo, that said sisters instead with the caption “I’ll be there for you cause you’re there for me too.” I must admit, I got a little teary eyed when she gave it to me. I can’t believe she remembered that Friends was my favorite show! I hugged her tightly and thanked her.

I thought dad was going to take us out to the diner for dinner, so you can imagine my surprise when we drove all the way to Port Angeles and stopped at this little Italian restaurant. I asked dad why we came all the way out here instead of going to the diner. “Only the best for my little girl on her birthday,” was his response as he ruffled my hair. Bella and I had the mushroom ravioli and dad just had spaghetti with meatballs. Geeze, doesn’t he ever try something new? Dad asked me about my little trip to La Push earlier today, and I said we just had a small get together at Emily’s place, who, buy the way, is Sam’s fiancee. I texted Quil earlier and he said that Sam did leave Leah for Emily, but he wouldn’t say why. Wow, poor Leah. No wonder she didn’t come to my party. But I told them about all the gifts they got me and that I had a good time. Bella said she was sorry that she missed coming along with me, but I told her not to worry about it. Her education comes first.

Once we got home, I hugged dad and Bella again, thanking them again for my gifts before heading back into my room upstairs. Putting on a pair of pj’s, I climbed into bed and soon fell asleep.

That Friday, I had another Dr.’s appointment. Bella said she couldn’t make it because she had a test that day. I told her it was fine because Hannah would still be able to come. Dr. Reynold was really nice. She was completely sympathetic to my situation, and told me she’d take good care of me since she’d be the one to deliver. Dr. Reynolds said I was now into my third month, and should be due around August 17th. The baby had gotten a bit bigger, which explained why my stomach expanded. But it was still too early to tell the sex, which made Hannah pout. I know she wants to know the sex more than I do.

After my appointment we headed back to our cars to go our separate ways. But before I could leave, Hannah handed me a somewhat large box. I gave her a strange look. “What’s this for?”

“It’s your birthday present, dude! You have to wear it tonight.” I totally forgot Hannah and the others were taking me out tonight, but they never told me where.

“Hold up. Just where are you guys taking me?” I was skeptical. Because it’s not like I could drink if we went out, which was Hannah’s definition of “going out.” She just laughed.

“Oh, you’ll see. Just make sure you wear that!” She pointed at the box. I wanted to protest, saying that I didn’t want anything big, but she hurried to her car before I could say a word.

“I hope this is appropriate!” I yelled after her as she drove off, waving cheekily. I sighed in frustration, throwing the box in the backseat before heading home.

Bella was home from school by the time I got home. But she was still wearing her jacket and backpack. “Are you going somewhere, Bells?” She nodded.

“Yeah. I thought I’d take a hike. You wanna come?” When I was little and I wanted to go for a hike, dad would take me through the woods by our house when he didn’t feel like driving to La Push. The woods around here were just as nice as the ones down at the Rez. When I was a bit older and could go for hikes by myself, I would always go to this one meadow me and Hannah found one day.

“Sure, just let me get changed real quick.” Personally, I didn’t think that jeans were appropriate for hiking. And that these were a nice pair of jeans that I didn’t want to ruin. Pulling out a pair of leggings from my dresser, I stripped my jeans off. I paused for a moment to look at my slowly expanding my stomach, caressing it gently. Not wanting to keep Bella waiting, I quickly slid into my leggings and changed into an old pair of tenny’s before going back down.

“Ready to go?” I nodded and we headed out the door. We didn’t have to drive far to the dirt road that led to the meadow. I was surprised she even knew about this place.

“Hey, I didn’t know you knew about this place. Dad and I used to come here all the time when I was little.” She nodded, looking quite solemn.

“Yeah. Edward and I used to…” Then she got real quiet, looking like she was going to cry. I rushed over to her and pulled her into a hug.

“Hey! It’s ok. Shhhh!” I could feel her shake, indicating that she was crying. We stood like that for a few minutes before I saw something strange. There was a dark figure with dreads standing in the distance. “Uh, who the hell is that?” Bella lifted her head immediately, looking in the direction I was looking. Then her face got real dark.

“Maggie, run.” I looked down at her quizzically.

“Why?” She shook her head vigorously. 

“Just go, ok?!” Geeze Bella. But I didn’t move. It was my job to protect my sister, and this guy could be trouble. I could just feel it. A supernatural chill ran down my spine just looking at the guy. Bella took a few steps closer to get a better look, with me cautiously following behind. “Laurent?” Wait, did she know this dude? And what the fuck was happening with my eyes? The dude was standing all the way across the meadow and now he was only a few feet away. What the fuck?! The mysterious man spoke out, and I noticed he had a Jamaican accent.

“Bella...I didn’t expect to see you here,” then he looked at me and smiled, which kind of creeped me out. “And you brought your lovely sister, as well. I went to visit the Cullens but...the house is empty. I’m surprised they left you behind. Weren’t you sort of a pet of there’s?” Now this dude was really creeping me out. He was circling us like a vulture. I clutched Bella’s hand, which made him smirk as he walked around.

“Yeah, you could say that,” 

“Do the Cullens visit often?” He kept glancing over to me, like some hungry animal. Ok, now I was starting to get scared. There was a pause before Bella spoke up.

“Yeah, absolutely. All the time.” Ok, I know this was a lie because Bella was a fricken mess when I moved back here. Is she lying because this guy is trouble? Because she’s not a very good liar. And the guy didn’t look as convinced either. “I’ll tell them that you stopped by. But I probably shouldn’t, uh...Edward...Because he’s pretty protective.” Another lie.

“But he’s far away, isn’t he?” Another eerie pause.  
“Why are you here?”

“I came as uh, favor to Victoria.” Woah, woah, woah. Whose Victoria? And what kind of favor was he talking about. Bella looked just as confused as I did.

“Victoria?”

“She asked me to see if you were still under the protection of the Cullens. Victoria feels it’s only fair to kill Edward’s mate, given he killed hers. An eye for an eye.” WAIT, WHAT?! Now I was suddenly feeling brave enough to speak.

“Bella, what’s he talking about?!” Laurent must’ve noticed the fear in my voice and smiled at her.

“Oh, so you didn’t tell your sister?”

“What would she need to tell me? And whose Victoria?” Laurent turned to smile at me.

“To answer your question my dear, Victoria is a member of my coven. We’re vampires. Victoria’s mate, James, was also part of our coven, but your sister’s mate killed him last year.” No, no, no, no, no! This can’t be real. Vampires can’t be real. My sudden fascination with vampires was now gone. I was definitely scared shitless now.

“But...vampires aren’t real,” Laurent just laughed. Without blinking, he was suddenly next to me from where he was standing, holding a hand on my neck. He was cold as ice. I looked up and saw that he had red eyes, just like the man in my dream. Oh crap.

“Oh, but they are my dear. In fact, the whole family that was keeping watch over your sister are vampires. Victoria only sent me to see if they were still here so I could carry out the favor of killing your sister.” He moved back cautiously, looking at the two of us. Suddenly, I felt a rush of adrenaline and stepped in front of Bella protectively.

“If you kill him, you’ll have to kill me too!” Bella pushed me out of the way.

“No, Maggie! Please, for the love of god run!” I shook my head and held onto her, much to the amusement of Laurent.

“Ah, such a strong bond I see before the two of you. I don’t know whether to call you brave or foolish, my dear. This should be interesting.” 

“You can’t kill us because Edward would know who did it. And he’d come after you.” Laurent shook his head.

“I don’t think he will. After all, how much could you mean to him, if he left you here, unprotected?” Not going to lie, he had a point. What kind of douche bag leaves his girlfriend with a psycho vampire on the loose. Laurent gave a big sigh as he shook his head. “Victoria won’t be happy about my killing you. But I can’t help myself. Especially with your sister here. Her blood just smells so good.” Dude, what the fuck?! Bella and I clung together tightly, protecting each other. “You are both so mouth watering.”

“Please, don't! Especially not my sister. She’s pregnant!”

“Well then that makes her more foolish than brave. What kind of mother puts her child at risk like this?” Now I was angry.

“She’s my sister! It’s my job to protect her!” Laurent just laughed before he was up in our faces again. He put his hands on Bella’s face, shushing her as she shook.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m doing you a kindness. Victoria plans on killing you slowly, painfully. Where as I will make it quick. You and your sister will feel nothing.” He backed away slowly, with one hand in the air. Oh crap, this was really happening! Vampires do exist and I was going to die. This was not how I wanted to be killed by a vampire.

“Please! Let my sister go! She doesn’t have anything to do with this!” Laurent laughed again.

“I have no choice. She knows too much now. Plus, her blood smells so mouth watering. Even more than yours.” He looked at me longingly, sending a shiver down my back. We waited for moments, preparing ourselves to die.

“Bella, I love you.” I had my eyes squeezed shut. I love you too, my little peanut. I’m so sorry. 

“I love you too, Maggie.” Then she muttered something about how she loved Edward. Bella, he left you. Please don’t think like that anymore. As Laurent was preparing to strike, we heard a loud crunch from the woods, like the breaking of twigs. And a growel. We all looked in the direction of where it came from, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. There, in front of us in the distance, was a giant wolf like dog, like the one I saw at La Push. But it was a different color.

“I don’t believe it,” I heard Laurent whisper. The giant black wolf dog came out and stalked towards us, preparing to leap at Laurent. Then I saw a bunch more come out of the brush. What the fuck?! How many were there?! The black one growled louder, making Laurent run away. The pack followed the black one, which I assumed was the alpha, as they ran towards Laurent. While the others ran after him, a copper colored wolf stopped and stared at us before running to join his pals.

“Maggie, we need to go!” I nodded weakly.

“Yeah. Let’s do that!” Gathering up much of the strength I had left, I ran with Bella through the woods where we came from and got into the truck. Catching our breath, we drove away. “Bella, what the fuck was that?!” She didn’t answer me, almost as if she didn’t want to. Was this what she was hiding from me? Then it dawned on me. That night when we talked about vampires, and how they might not sleep at all. Was she trying to hint that they were real? And if so, why couldn’t she just tell me? 

We drove home in silence. When we arrived, I noticed that Harry Clearwater’s car was sitting in the driveway. I wondered if he and dad were going fishing today. I hope not. Not with those wolves and that vampire running about. I ran into the house, with dad yelling after me. But I couldn’t answer him because I was too busy throwing up in the bathroom. But I could hear Bella.

“Dad, I saw them!”

“Bells, what’s the matter? And what’s wrong with your sister?”

“They’re not bears!” I forgot that dad said the station was getting reports on these weird animals lurking around Forks and the campsites around here.

“Bella, what the hell were you and your sister doing out in the woods?”

“They’re wolves! I mean, they are like huge wolves!” 

“Are you sure about that, Bella?” Ah, so Harry was here.

“Yeah, we just saw them! They were after...something.” Way to cover up Bells. Then I heard dad speak.

“Wolves? You saw them?” A brief silence. “Alright. Well...Harry? You like going hunting? Get some of your guys together?”

“Sure, yeah. I’ll just…” But Harry didn’t say another word as I heard the front door open. I don’t think Harry was too convinced.

“I should go to the station. Keep an eye on your sister will you? She sounds pretty sick up there.” Then I heard dad leave the house. I slowly made my way out of the bathroom and back into my room in the attic. I texted Hannah saying I couldn’t make it tonight, that I wasn’t feeling sick. She sounded sad in the text but was understanding, saying that we’ll go next weekend. I layed down in my bed and tried my best to fall asleep.

But I had a nightmare. I dreamt that Bella and I were running through the woods, with Laurent trailing us. Fast. We couldn’t make it in time and I heard Bella scream and I turned. Laurent had always grabbed her and ripped her head off. There was a pool of blood on the ground, and Laurent was ready for me. I screamed. Then I was shaken awake by Bella. “Maggie! Hey, are you alright?” I slowly sat up, shaking.

“I’m...I’m fine. I think.” We sat in silence as Bella pulled me closer. I thought back to that night where Bella hinted about vampires being real. “Hey Bells?”

“Hmm?”

“Remember that night when argued about vampires sleeping in coffins?” I could feel her nod. “Were you hinting that vampires were real?” There was another pause before she broke away from me.

“Listen, Maggie. You can’t tell anyone about this, ok?” I scoffed. Yeah, like I would tell anybody about this shit. No one would believe me anyway. “I’m being serious Maggie. Nobody can know about this. It’s a law.” I looked at her strangely.

“Wait, vampires have laws?” I could hardly believe what I was hearing. That vampires had their own code of laws like humans? No way.

“Just the one. That they keep their existence a secret. Something that’s held up by the royalty they have, the Volturi.” Wait, what? Now I had questions. What kind of royalty are we talking about?

“Vampires have a monarchy?”

“They’re not exactly royalty, but the closest thing vampires have.” I nodded.

“But wait, if vampires are supposed to keep their existence a secret, how did you find out about the Cullens then?”

“I didn’t know right away when I moved here. I had to put the pieces together. Like, Edward was impossibly fast and strong. He actually saved me from that van that almost hit me in the school parking lot. He managed to go from one side of it to the other. His skin is pale white and cold to the touch. His eyes changed color and he spoke like he was from a different time. I never saw him eat or drink at school. And he never went out in the sunlight. Except when he showed me in that meadow.”

“But didn’t he burn though?” Bella looked away.

“Not exactly. Vampires kind of...sparkle.” There was a pause before I broke out in laughter.

“Ok, you got to be pulling my leg Bells! That’s the funniest shit I’ve heard all day!” I continued laughing, thinking that she would join in. But when I saw that she didn’t, I stopped. “Oh. You’re serious.” She nodded. “Wow. So vampires are real then?” Bella nodded again. I was in a total shock. The whole time I spent fantasizing about vampires when they were actually real. I don’t know whether to be happy or scared. “So why did the Cullens leave then?” She looked away before speaking.

“Alice threw me a birthday party back in September at their house. I managed to get a paper cut opening a present and my blood spilled. And Edward’s brother, Jasper, is the youngest of all of them, and has trouble resisting human blood and almost attacked me.” I spaced out. I took time to gather my thoughts. The Cullens left after the party, where Bella was almost attacked by one of them. Could this be why Edward left?

“Wow. But what was Laurent talking about when Victoria wanted revenge?” She then explained to me about an incident that happened last year. Edward took Bella to play baseball with his family, and the wandering coven just happened to make their way through Forks when they saw the Cullens. I guess that James, Victoria’s mate, got a whiff of Bella’s scent and then the shit storm happened. I guess he tried to track Bella down after the Cullens scared the coven away at the baseball game. She went on about how the group split up to divert James by spreading Bella’s scent in different different directions while Alice and Jasper took her to Arizona. But I guess James was able to lure Bella to the dance studio, claiming that he kidnapped mom. But it was only a recording he found in the house when he broke in. Thank god mom and Phil weren’t home. Even though I didn’t like Phil, I was glad he was ok. 

Then Bella went on to say how James almost killed her, showing me the bite on her wrist. My eyes widened in shock. There was no way an animal could make that big of a bite. If I didn’t believe in vampires before, I sure did now. Fortunately, Edward and his family did come to the rescue, killing James and setting him on fire. I’ve read some pretty crazy shit, but nothing could compare to what Bella told me. Now I was too scared to sleep, with Victoria out there hunting for my sister. I asked Bella if she could stay the night, not saying why. But I think she knew why. I fell asleep with Bella curled beside me.   
v


	9. Birthday Surprises and the Truth Pt.2

A week went by since I’ve learned about the existence of vampires, and that my sister was being hunted by one that happened to have a need for petty revenge. I was on edge, to say the least. I’ve practically had nightmares every night since that day, and Bella would always be there when I woke up, for the most part. But I felt so bad for dad. He told me how bad Bella’s nightmares were before I came, and now I’m putting him through the same thing.

Lately, I’ve been taking some yoga classes at a fitness center in Port Angeles, which have been helping with the stress, but only so much. I just couldn’t stop thinking about Victoria and my sister’s safety. Ever since I’ve learned about the existence of vampires, my romanticism and fantasies about them came to a sudden halt. Now that I know how dangerous they can be, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to be one anymore. But now I know what I had to do. I had to protect Bella at all costs. And while I couldn’t completely distract myself from the danger, I tried my best by focusing on my online classes and a baby scrapbook I got the other day. Mom did one for Bella and I, so I thought I’d continue the tradition. Plus, I thought they were pretty neat. So on the first page I put my first sonogram and drew a bunch of baby doodles and hearts around it, with the caption that said “two months” above it.

But besides yoga, scrapbooking, and my online classes, nothing else could distract me from the danger that lied ahead. I mean, what was going to happen to Bella since she technically broke one of the most important laws that vampires had? Was Volturi going to kill her? What really had me bothered was how they enforce this law. How did they know if someone had broken it. Were they going to come after her? I shook my head, trying to stay positive, not only for Bella but for myself. I went through the collection of books I brought along, including my Harry Potter books, looking for something to do. Hannah wasn’t picking me up for my birthday celebration until tonight, and I needed some time to kill.

That’s when I noticed one book that lay forgotten next to the ones I stacked neatly on top of my dresser. It was the book Quil gave me the last time I went to La Push. The one about Quileute legends. This piqued my interest. If vampires were real, what other legendary myths could be true. Nothing really caught my eye, except for one about spirit warriors that supposedly existed throughout the tribe’s history. Supposedly, today’s Quileutes are descended from these spirit warriors, who could transform into wolves, and that the same magical blood ran into their veins. The book went on to say how the village came across such devastation caused by a creature known as the “cold one,” which caused some members of the tribe to transform. They were able to destroy the first “cold one” they came across, but there were more.

I guess the mate of the first one came back for revenge and caused more slaughter on the innocent people in the village. The last spirit warrior of the tribe, Chief Taha Aki, was left to save the tribe after his son was killed. I guess he transformed after seeing his son’s body and fought against the mate of the “cold one.” However, it was a struggle, and Taha Aki would’ve lost his life, if it weren’t for his wife, who stabbed herself in the abdomen to save her husband. Unfortunately, his wife ended up losing her life, but not before distracting the “cold one” and letting Taha Aki destroy her. I had to put the book down, it was getting too disturbing. I immediately knew that the so-called “cold ones” were vampires, but I had my doubts about the wolf parts. Shape-shifting werewolves? Come on! These were just legends, right? But then again…

I must’ve been reading for a while, because I noticed the clock, which said 5:30. I leapt into action, since Hanna said she was going to pick me up at 6:30. I quickly raced down the ladder and into the bathroom, turning the shower on. I didn’t waste any time washing up, although having long hair kind of takes up time in the shower. I contemplated getting it cut, but then again I liked doing fancy stuff with my hair. So it would stay long, for now. Quickly drying myself off, I wrapped the towel around myself and scurried back up the ladder. 

Laying across the chair by my desk was my present from Hannah. It was a sparkly, nude colored dress that went down to my knees and hugged my body. I texted Hannah saying how the fuck I was going to fit into it, considering my belly had grown since my first doctor’s appointment. She said she got a few sizes bigger than my normal size, which kind of pissed me off. How was I supposed to wear it after I had my baby?! I tried it on that day she gave it to me, and it luckily fit me. I must admit, it was quite beautiful. The way the dress came off my shoulders and had a dip in the back. And I just loved how the dress sparkled in the light. The nude color really matched with my dark hair too. However, I was worried about the shoes. I really didn’t grab that many shoes when I left Seattle. Luckily, Hannah said she had the perfect pair for me.

As I dried off, I heard a car pull up. I went to the window and saw that Hannah had pulled up. I looked at the clock. What the hell, she said she wasn’t coming until 6:30! It was only ten to 6! I sighed as I pulled on the dress, wrapping the towel around my head before stepping down the ladder. Dad must’ve gotten to the door before I did, because I could hear the two of them talking. “You guys know she’s pregnant, right? I don’t want you taking her to some sketchy bar…” I rolled my eyes at my dad’s interrogation. Why does he have to do this every time? Seriously. I can’t remember a time where he didn’t pull this crap during high school. He knows I’m responsible. I heard Hannah laugh.

“Don’t worry Mr. Swan. We’ll take care of her.” Ever since the stunt Bella pulled last year, dad really doesn’t trust that excuse anymore. But I can’t really blame him, since Bella almost got herself killed by a vampire last year. I walked down the stairs to see Hannah holding a whole bunch of crap in her arms. Hannah smiled when she saw me. “Oh my god Maggie, it looks better than I thought it would be.” Gee, thanks Han. Dad turned around and looked me up and down when he saw what I was wearing. He must’ve approved because he smiled a little before pulling me into a side hug.

“You look great, kiddo. Have fun tonight. And be safe.” I had to chuckle at that.

“Always am, dad. Always am.” This is true. I’m not as reckless and clumsy as Bella. He smiled at me before walking back to the living room, and Hannah pulled me up the stairs and into the bathroom. I suddenly felt myself forced down onto the toilet. “Ouch, Han. Watch out!” She just rolled her eyes as she sat her bag down on the floor, pulling out her makeup kit. Oh crap. It’s not like I didn’t like my makeup done, I just don’t think it ever makes a difference. I never really saw myself beautiful. And Marcus never really made me feel that way. But Andy always did. 

“Ok, first things first. Let’s get your hair out of the way. How do you want it done?” I had to think for a moment.

“Just curl it to one side, Han. I don’t want us to be late.” She nodded, probably thinking the same thing. Plus, it really did take a long time to dry my hair, so I really didn’t want her to spend extra time doing fancy stuff that I like. Once my hair was completely dry, Hannah pulled out the curling iron from her bag and started to curl my hair. Then she sprayed a whole bunch of hairspray to keep it in place. Now it was time for makeup! I really couldn’t say what I wanted, since Hannah was more into makeup than I was, so I left it up to her. It didn’t take as long as my hair though. When Hannah was done, she pulled me in front of the mirror. And I was shocked. I never looked so amazing before. Gold eyeshadow and shiny pink lip gloss. I was speechless. “Oh Han…” She just smirked at herself in the mirror.

“Well, another job well done, if I do say so myself.” I just rolled my eyes as she pulled out the shoes she brought from the bag. Gold high heels that sparkled. I looked at them warily.

“Gee, Han. I don’t know if I’ll be able to stand in those. My feet have started to swell…” 

“Which is why I bought some insoles!” I laughed as she “magically” pulled out a package containing the insoles.

“Han, you’re a lifesaver!” She just gave me a cheeky smile.

“I know. Now let’s get these babies on so we can get out of here!” It didn’t take long to put the inserts in the shoes, and before I knew it, I was being dragged down the stairs and out the door.

We were driving, but I didn’t know where. Hannah put a blindfold around me as soon as we got into the car, much to my annoyance. It seemed like we were driving forever. “Han, are you ever going to tell me where you’re taking me?”

“Not a chance. It’s not really a surprise if I told you.”

“I know you can’t see it, but I’m rolling my eyes at you.” I felt a slight wack on my arm. “Dude, what the fuck? That actually hurt.”

“Well, it wouldn’t hurt if you quit being so sassy.” I stuck my tongue out at her, silently admitting defeat.

“Anyway, as long as this place isn’t in Seattle, then I really don’t mind the surprise.” The car suddenly got eerily quiet. I gave Hannah a side eye through the blindfold, suddenly becoming suspicious. “Han?” She must’ve noticed my suspicions, because I could feel that she tensed up.

“Mmm?” Ok, now I was really becoming suspicious. There was something off about her voice…

“We aren’t going to Seattle, are we?” I heard her mutter something underneath her breath before the car went silent. Ripping off the blindfold, I gave her a glare. “Hannah, you can’t be serious! There’s no way in hell I can step foot in Seattle while Marcus still lives there, you know that!”

“Dude, I’m not the one who set the reservation up, I swear! I told the guys not to book anything in Seattle, but once Micah and Jen told everyone about the new club/karaoke bar opening up in Seattle, everyone wanted to go! I couldn’t stop them!” I growled in frustration. On one hand, I was pissed at Hannah for being irresponsible by letting things get out of hand. But on the other, she was my best friend, and she did attempt to stop the others from booking in Seattle. So I guess I can’t stay mad at her. I grumbled in annoyance and looked away, indicating that I forgave her.

The car went silent for a while before I spoke up. “So, we’re really going to a karaoke bar?”

“Yeah, Jen and Micah were talking about it for months, and how they couldn’t wait to express their musical talent again,” she rolled her eyes as she smirked. I chuckled along with her.

“What a bunch of nerds,” I said fondly. Truly they were some of the biggest music nerds I knew. They would always be telling jokes that I wouldn’t understand, and Micah would always use his trumpet for sound effects, which greatly annoyed many of us. But I loved them nonetheless. We drove in silence as we continued on our trek to Seattle. I grew more apprehensive as we began entering the city. Hannah must’ve sensed this and grabbed my hand.

“Don’t worry, hun. We got your back.” I simply squeezed her hand and took a deep breath as we drove downtown, passing the space needle. As more civilians and vehicles entered our line of view, I shrank deeper into my seat. I could see that Hannah looked worried now, as if she regretted not trying harder to stop our rambunctious group of friends.

We finally came to a stop, but before I could step out of the car, Hannah blindfolded me once again.

“Hannah, what the hell?!”

“I told you hun, it’s a surprise!” I grunted out of annoyance as she dragged me from the car.

“Han, I don’t think it’s safe for me to walk around in heels with a blindfold on!” She just laughed.

“Don’t worry hun, I got ya!” Somehow I doubted that, as I felt myself zig zag around corners, nearly stumbling around each one. I started to protest when she interrupted. “Almost there, Maggie. Almost there.” She was right. Just a few moments later, I felt myself stop and a door open. Hannah pushed me forward a little and slowly undid the blindfold. “Alright girl, open your eyes!” Her excitement caught my attention, and I slowly opened my eyes. I was amazed.

We were standing in a private room that had its own dance floor and bar. The room seemed to have a vintage look to it. Almost like we were brought back in time to a 1930s speakeasy. With lush black walls and gold trimming, chandeliers, and mirrors. Black, pink, and gold balloons decked out the room with matching streamers. Champagne bottles, which I assumed were empty, decked almost every surface, their shells covered in pink, black and gold glitter. There was a small stage that held a karaoke machine. God, I hope Hannah doesn’t expect me to participate in that. I hate the way my voice sounds.

Above the stage hung a banner that read, “23 Years Blessed.” But what caught my eye sat under the banner, on a table. It was a three tiered cake. The bottom was covered in some sort of gold texture, with the middle layer covered in pastel stripes. And, oh my god! Was that a unicorn head?! Taking a closer look, it was indeed a unicorn head. I was shocked. As much as I loved mythical creatures, I half expected them to go the vampire route, considering my past fascination with them. But secretly, I’m relieved that they didn’t. I needed to take my mind off the supernatural.

Before I could say anything to Hannah, who was smiling at me, the rest of our friends jumped out from god knows where, yelling, “surprise!” I shrieked in surprise, not expecting them to do a jump scare. I stared at them for a second before bursting into laughter. “You guys!” I went and took turns hugging each and every one of them. However, I stopped when I noticed that two people were missing from our group. Andy and Georgiana. Not that I wanted Georgiana to be here, but Andy… 

Whatever, I didn’t need him. I plan on having a great time with my friends tonight. I didn’t need any negativity on my birthday. The manager of the bar was kind enough to provide the pizza, wings, chips and dip, and drinks on the house. And of course, while everyone was slowly getting drunk, I was stuck sucking down some fruity, virgin mixed drink. Hannah abstained from drinking as she wanted to keep me from feeling left out. And that she was my driver for the evening.

After we stuffed ourselves silly, myself more than others, everyone sang happy birthday and we unfortunately had to kill the unicorn cake. As everyone sat and mingled while eating their cake, Hannah turned to me. “So what’s the deal with Andy? Last time I checked, Micah and Jen invited him. So why’s he being a jackass by not showing up? We all know he still has feelings for you.” I froze for a moment, not meeting Hannah’s eye. Andy still had feelings for me? I doubt it.

I snorted, “Do you really think Andy still has feelings for me? Get real, Han.” She looked at me incredulously.

“Dude, of course he does. Before you moved back here all he could do was talk about you and why you never got back in contact with us. Trust me, he’s so in love with you. My sources say he’s only marrying Georgiana because her dad threatened to fire his dad.” I sat there, staring at my drink, my mind racing. I barely caught what Hannah said how if Andy dumped Georgiana he’d come straight back to me.

“Even if he did dump her Han, there’s no way I’d take him back.” Suddenly, it felt like it was just me and Hannah in the room. She looked at me like I grew another head.

“Dude, why not? Everyone knew you two were crazy for each other.”

“Because we got into a fight the other day.” She looked at me for a second before laughing.

“So you’re going to let one little fight ruin your friendship? That’s kind of petty, even for you Maggie.” My slight annoyance was growing into anger now.

“You don’t understand Han. He called my baby a monster!” That shut her up real quick. Her eyes got real wide as she dropped her smile.

“No…” I nodded.

“And that’s not even the worst part of it. He even suggested that I get an abortion.” I heard her gasp as she pulled me into the hug. I tried to blink as fast as I could. I didn’t want to ruin the fine job Hannah did. She rubbed my back for a few moments before pulling apart.

“You know what you need? You need some karaoke time, that’s what!” Oh crap. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this. As much as I appreciated Hannah’s efforts to cheer me up, I absolutely dreaded singing in front of an audience.

“Han, I don’t think-” But I was shoved up onstage before I had a chance to escape. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, if you would please turn your attention to the birthday girl. She has kindly agreed to grace us with the gift of song by using that angelic voice of hers that can make angels weep.” Oh my god Hannah, that was perhaps the corniest thing you have ever said in your entire life! Why does she have to embarrass me with this bullcrap?

“Uh, hi everybody,” I heard some playful jeers and catcalls, which I responded in kind with the bird, making everyone laugh. “So, I don’t know why Hannah got up here to lie to you all. I’m not a very good singer.”

“Liar!” I rolled my eyes at that cheeky voice of hers. I sucked in a big breath before facing my fear. Here goes nothing, Maggie. You survived Oral & Written Comm. You can survive this. I slowly grew more confident as I heard Shania Twain’s “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” came on. I can’t believe Hannah still remembered that I love country music. I looked at her and gave her a fond look, which she reciprocated. Everybody started to sing along as the song went on, and of course it wouldn’t be karaoke if a couple of drunken individuals didn’t climb on the stage with me to sing along.

Everybody gave a round of applause as I finished the song, and I took a bow, laughing. Hannah was right when she said this would cheer me up. Soon, I forgot all about Andy and was lost in the moment with all my friends. Throughout the night, as people became more drunk, I sang along to a variety of songs. When people got tired of singing, someone plugged their phone into the speakers and we all danced the night away, with me being tugged and pulled in all different directions by my drunken friends.

It was close to midnight when Hannah dropped me off. I moved up the stairs sluggishly, tossing off my shoes when I got the second floor landing where dad and Bella’s rooms were. I quietly went into the bathroom to remove my makeup before heading to bed. It was a real struggle climbing up the ladder to my room, considering I practically danced all night. Stripping off my dress, I collapsed onto my bed, not giving a crap about putting on pajamas.

But soon, I was in another nightmare. I was standing in the meadow where Bella and I faced off against Laurent. Except it was just me and Laurent in the meadow, with Laurent looking ready to strike. He smiled at me as I slowly backed away from him before turning to run. I ran through the woods, but it was no use. Laurent ended up catching up to me and grabbed my arm. He pulled hard, making me collapse on my knees. He looked at me with that same bloodlust look he gave the other day. Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. I heard a cracking noise, almost like a bone breaking. Then I realized the sound was coming from my own neck. Laurent was trying to pop my head off! Both of my hands when to pull his grip off, but to no avail. Just when I thought I was doomed a black blur came out of nowhere, pulling Laurent away from me. I heard him gasp before I heard this loud snap. I looked up and saw Laurent’s headless body lay a few feet in front of me. And who was holding Laurent’s head by his dreads? It was none other than that daunting, but handsome man that had been appearing in my dreams. 

But now I don’t feel as drawn to him as I did before. In fact, I was downright terrified ever since I Iearned about the existence of vampires. The man slowly walked towards me, offering his hand to help me up when he reached me. But I didn’t take it. I shook my head fiercely as I crab walked backwards. But he kept following me, looking somewhat hurt that I didn’t let him pick me up. “Don’t be afraid, cara mia. I don’t want you to be afraid of me.” He continued to walk towards me as I continued to crawl backwards. But then I hit a tree, and I felt cornered. As he knelt down, I turned away, shutting my eyes and prepared for the worst. But it never came.

AxM 

Despite coming home late, I woke up quite early. Stretching, I got out of bed and walked to the window. It was raining again. That figures. Even though I was tired beyond belief when I came home and fell asleep quickly, I still tossed and turned all night from the dream I had. I was confused. Was this man a vampire or not? And does he even exist? This sort of feels like that part in Dracula where the vampire in question completely took over Lucy’s mind and we saw her tossing and turning in bed. Was this happening to me as well?

I shook myself from my thoughts and went downstairs. I slowly ate at my Froot Loops as I tried to wake up. While I didn’t touch any alcohol last night, I still felt groggy as hell. Which might explain my weird dream last night. But I was having weird dreams lately, so I don’t know how to explain it.

I was broken from my thoughts when I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Dad’s cruiser wasn’t in the driveway, so it had to be Bella. And she was already dressed, which shocked me. She was never the girl to go out during weekends, and she always stayed in her pajamas. “Hey, Bells. What are you doing up so early? You usually don’t go out on weekends,” I chuckled.

“I was going to head out to the Rez. I’ve been trying to call Jake all week, but he hasn’t been answering my calls. I think he joined Sam’s gang.” Wait, what? Sam has a gang?

“Bella, you don’t actually believe Jake would join a gang, do you?” She just shrugged.

“Well, I didn’t think he would, but since Quil and Embry joined…” WHAT?!

“Woah, woah, woah. Did you just say Quil and Embry joined this “gang?”” Bella nodded.

“Yeah, I guess there were a couple of kids that joined Sam’s gang. Hey, don’t you know a guy named Paul down there as well? Jake mentioned that his friend Paul was in it too.” Oh hell no! I was definitely going to go along with Bella now. I have to see what kind of shit these boys were up to. I stood up, abandoning my bowl of cereal and headed towards the stairs. Bella followed me, confused by my sudden departure. “What’s the rush, Maggie?”

“Bella, I have to go with you! I have to stop these guys from doing something stupid. And if they’re really in a gang, then it’s my duty as their honorary tribe sister to knock some sense into them.” Growing up, the guys on the Rez wanted to do a blood brothers thing, but I said that there was no way in hell I was going to cut open my skin, considering I have a low pain tolerance. So we just had an “initiation ceremony” and they made me an honorary tribe sister. And the guys, minus Jake, had no sisters and wanted one to harass all the time. Except for Embry. We don’t know if he’s half brothers with Sam, Quil, or Jake.

Bella just nodded as I rushed up the stairs to get dressed, due to a rush of adrenaline. Before I knew it, we were out the door and headed to La Push.

AxM

“So, did you have fun last night? I didn’t even hear you come home last night.” We were about halfway to La Push, but Bella and I haven’t been talking that much during the drive.

“Yeah, I had a great time. We went to this new club/karaoke bar that just opened in Seattle.” Bella gave me a nervous glance.  
“Of all places, you went to Seattle? Weren’t you worried that Marcus would find you?”

“Hey, it wasn’t my idea to go to Seattle at all. Two of my band geek friends wanted to go so bad and Hannah couldn’t stop them.” I rubbed my growing baby bump softly. This worrying about a loose vampire and Marcus and Andy wasn’t good for them.

“So, did they get you anything good?”

“Nah, I told them I didn’t want anything for my birthday and that they should wait until my baby shower.” We made idle chit chat until we finally pulled outside Jake’s house. As Bella and I got out, I noticed a group of guys standing nearby. As Bella walked towards the house, I walked towards the group, noticing it was Sam along with Quil, Embry, Paul, and some kid named Jared. Why the fuck did they even have their shirts off? It’s the middle of February for fuck’s sake!

They must’ve noticed me approaching, because Quil and Embry suddenly became fidgety while Paul just looked stoic. “Oh hey Maggie. What brings you here?” Quil looked nervous as hell.

“Bella came to see Jake. She’s been worried about him. She thinks he joined this little gang you guys are in.” Everyone but Sam laughed.

“No offense Maggie, but your sister needs to mind her own damn business.” Leave it to Paul to be the insensitive type. Then again, he was always like that growing up.

“Shut up Paul,” I snapped at him, causing the others to jeer mockingly at him. “Jake’s her friend as well as mine. She has the right to be concerned about him not returning her damn phone calls! And frankly, so am I. It’s not like Jake to behave this way. So fess up. What’s this “gang” nonsense all about?” Quil looked down at his feet, almost ashamedly.

“We told you Maggie. It’s better for you not to know. For your own safety. And for Bella’s.”

“Quil, what the fuck does that even mean?!” But before anyone could respond, Bella came storming over to us, shoving Sam. Um, ok???

“Hey, what did you do to him?!”

“Hey, watch it little girl!” I glared at Embry, who just ignored me. Sam held a hand to his chest to stop him from getting all up in Bella’s face.

“Easy!”

“He didn’t want this!” Now it was Paul’s turn to get cocky.

“What did we do? What did he do? What did he tell you?” As Paul got up in Bella’s face, I stepped in between them.

“Hey, stop being a jackass Paul!” Before Paul could get up in my face, Sam mediated again.

“All three of you, calm down!” 

“Nothing! He tells me nothing because he’s scared of you.” Paul just laughed. Sometimes I wonder why I put up with his shit. Then again, he was never this cocky growing up. It was becoming unhealthy. Out of nowhere Bella slapped Paul straight across the face. I was stunned. Bella was never the one to beat the crap out of somebody. Me on the other hand…

Then something strange happened. Paul got a look in his eye that I recognized when I told them about Marcus. But something was different this time. His whole body began to shake, and he looked like he was going to lunge forward. I instinctively stood in front of Bella. Sam tried to hold Paul back.

“Paul, don’t!” But Paul was still steaming like a vegetable. It really did sound like he was going to explode. Not going to lie, I was starting to feel scared.

“Too late now.”

“Bella, Maggie, get back!” We slowly did what we were told, not wanting to anger anybody else. Sam tried to calm Paul down, but it was no use. Before I could blink, there stood a massive, grey wolf that stood where Paul was. WHAT THE FUCK?! This can’t be real! Then I remembered the book about Quileute legends Quil gave me. Was this what he was talking about? Before I could say anything, Bella grabbed my hand and ran towards the truck, with Paul ready for the chase.

Then we saw Jake leap from his back porch. “Bella! Maggie! Get back!”

“Jake, run!” Oh, he was running all right. Right in the direction of Paul. What the fuck, he was going to get himself killed. 

I turned back and yelled, “Jake, are you crazy?!” But he didn’t listen. In fact, something happened that I didn’t expect. Jake transformed into a large, copper colored wolf. Right above our heads. Fuck, I think I just peed my pants, and it wasn’t from the baby pressing down on my bladder! Paul and Jake then got into a massive fight. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I just watched two kids I’ve known our entire lives turn into very large dogs...wolves...things. This is the kind of shit that happens in books, not real life.

As we watched Paul and Jake bite at and wrestle with each other into the woods, Bella and I just clung onto each other, hyperventilating. The meadow fell quiet as the growels went farther into the distance. “Hey. Take Bella and Maggie back to Emily’s place.” Sam ran off to find Jake and Paul.

“Guess the wolf’s out of the bag!” Embry, Quil, and Jarrod ran towards us. I timidly took Quil’s hand as he stood me up.

“Quil, what the hell was that? Did you know something about this?!” Quil just looked down at his feet, while the other two glanced away awkwardly.

“Look, Maggie...I told you it was better for you not to know.” I felt tears sting my eyes, feeling betrayed. These guys always told me their secrets growing up. Especially Quil, my kindred spirit. Then I remembered that book.

“But Quil...you got me that book on Quileute legends. Were you trying to tell me something?” Now it was Embry and Jarrod’s turn to look surprised.

“Dude, what the hell? These are trade secrets! I mean, her sister runs with vampires!” Before the three of them got into a fight, I intervened.

“Hey, don’t blame Quil for this! He really didn’t say anything anyways. And I didn’t really believe those tales at first.” I looked at Quil, feeling a tear escape my eye. “How could you not tell me Qui? You used to tell me everything?” He looked away ashamedly.

“I’m sorry Maggie. I wanted to tell you, but-” I cut him off, suddenly angry.

“Forget it Quil! Bella, give me the keys.” She looked at me curiously.

“What?”

“Dammit Bella, I said give me the keys!” Surprised by my tone, she gave them without saying another word. I started to walk towards the truck, with Quil trailing me.

“Maggie! Wait!” But I didn’t want to. I ran as fast as I could and jumped into the truck. I cried the whole way home.


	10. Damn it, Bella!

As February slowly crept into March, I kept myself isolated for the most part. I only came out to go to work, eat, and use the bathroom. Quil and the rest of the guys kept on trying to call and text me, but to no avail. I would always send their calls straight to voicemail and delete their texts. And Hannah’s been trying to call too, so I assumed that the guys told her I wasn’t answering any of them. She texted me, “IDK why you’re not texting the guys, but you should probably do ASAP. They’re starting to bug me with their incessant texting.” I had to chuckle at that a little bit. Seeing her annoyed was one of the funniest things on this planet.

But I didn’t take her advice. I continued to ignore any calls and texts from the guys, and occasionally answering the ones from Hannah. She kept bugging me to tell her what was causing me to turn into a hermit. And I could sense that my extremely vague answers irritated her, which amused me a little. I felt really bad that I couldn’t tell her what was going on, but I assumed that the guys down at the Rez had a law like vampires did about keeping their existence a secret, so I kept quiet.

But now I was in a pickle. On one hand, I was still mad at the guys at the Rez. But on the other hand, now I know how they felt by not letting me in on their little secret. Or should I say, their big hairy secret. I contemplated what I should do. It was my weekend off, and I didn’t have any homework to do, so my day was pretty much open. I stretched before getting out of bed, taking my time down the ladder. Even though I was only in the middle of my third month I started to have some trouble climbing up and down, even though I wasn’t showing that much yet. Either I must be imagining things or I really am a weak person. Taking a deep breath, I continued down the flight of steps and walked into the kitchen. I assumed dad would be downstairs, but he wasn't. Taking a peek out the front door, I didn’t see his cruiser, so I assumed he was at work.

And I thought Bella would be in the kitchen, but she wasn’t. I looked at the clock, noticing it was almost 11 am. Huh, she’s usually up by now. I shrugged my shoulders as I pulled a bowl from the cupboard and made myself some cereal. As I ate my breakfast slowly, trying not to upset my stomach even further than it was, my mind became troubled. Thinking back to the day Bella and I found out about the guys. I couldn’t decide whether I should go visit them. While I was still annoyed at them for keeping their secret from me, deep down I still loved them. Even if they were a bunch of idiots.

I walked back up the stairs aimlessly, as if I were in a trance. Once I made it up the ladder, I sat on the ledge, trying to catch my breath. Ok, there was no way this baby was that heavy already. I really must be a weakling. Making a mental note to start working out again when my baby was born. My phone buzzed, breaking me out of my reverie. I turned to the source of the noise, forgetting where I put my phone. I noticed I left it on my desk. On the other side of the room! God, I really didn’t feel like moving. When my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing, I rolled my eyes and decided to get off my ass to see who it was. Trudging over to my desk, I picked up my phone, rolling my eyes again. I should’ve known those guys wouldn’t stop bugging me. There were multiple messages from Quil, Embry, Emily, and Jake. But what caught my eye was this one message from Paul, which was him apologizing profusely, begging me to come back to the Rez, followed by a sad face.

Ok, now I had to go down to the Rez. If Paul was acting out of character, then they really must be sorry. Setting my phone down, I changed out of my pajamas into a pair of leggings and a t- shirt. Thank fuck it was starting to warm up a bit, even if it wasn’t what most people outside Pacific Northwest considered warm. I threw on a rain jacket just in case, because it still looked crappy out. Great, that means it’s going to be muggy as hell out. Grabbing my phone, I slid down the ladder, almost falling on my ass. Lately I’ve been feeling a bit risky, but this was one choice I kind of regretted, even though I always wanted to slide down my ladder.

After recovering from my near heart attack, I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and pulled my hair into a bun before leaving the house.

It rained the whole way I drove to La Push. I sent the guys a group message before leaving the house, telling them I’d meet them at First Beach. Pulling up, I noticed I was the only one there. It stopped raining, but the atmosphere still felt wet and damp. I got out of my car and wandered down to the shoreline. The coal grey waves were rocky today, making it too dangerous to swim if it were a nice day. I began to skip rocks as the waves crashed against the rocky cliffs. I was so lost in the beauty of the Rez that I didn’t even notice someone stand next to me. Giving them a side eye, I noticed it was Quil.

We didn’t talk for a while as I continued to skip rocks. But then I got bored with it and stopped. I glanced at Quil, who seemed nervous. I didn’t blame him. He probably thought I was going to yell at him again, which made me feel bad about what happened. To make things more comfortable, I broke the ice first. “Hey.” I shifted closer to him, indicating that I wasn’t annoyed at him anymore.  
“Hey.” But he still didn’t look at me, so I decided to swallow my pride.

“Look, Quil…” I struggled to find the right words to apologize. “I came to apologize. I was way out of line the last time I was here. I didn’t mean to overreact.” He just shook his head as he maintained his steady gaze on the ocean.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Maggie. You had every right to be mad at us. We’ve always told each other secrets growing up. So it’s understandable why you felt betrayed.” I glanced down at my feet, feeling a bit sheepish.

“Well ok, but I still feel bad. I mean, if I knew it was that big of a secret, I wouldn’t have overreacted. I mean, come on Quil, I thought you guys were doing drugs or something!” I heard Quil scoff. I gave him a side eye, surprised by the small smirk he had on his face.

“You really thought we were doing drugs? Come on, Maggie!” He laughed as I playfully punched him in the arm.

“Hey, I had every right to be scared! Bella kept telling me you were in a gang.” Quil just rolled his eyes.

“Well, she wasn’t wrong…” An awkward silence fell between us as we watched the waves. “But I hope you aren’t too upset with us, Maggie,” Quil said after a few minutes went by. I smiled as I playfully slugged him in the shoulder again, only for a sharp pain to spread through my hand.

“Fucking hell! Quil, what the fuck happened to you?!” He just laughed as I glared at him while rubbing my throbbing fist. Before he could answer, I heard laughter coming from behind us. I turned to find Paul and Embry looking cheeky.

“Looks like Maggie found out what happens when you try to take us on. You were always such a weakling growing up,” I glared at the two as they laughed their asses off.

“Fuck off, Paul!” I looked at my hand, hoping it wasn’t broken. “I swear to god, if my hand’s broken…” 

“Now see, that was your fault. You shouldn't have done that.” How typical of Paul to be the cheeky bastard in the group. I just continued to rub it as Embry came up and took a look at it. I noticed Paul suddenly became very shy.

“So, uh...We cool then, Maggie?” I smiled at him. He was just too cute when he acted so shy, making it easier for me to forgive him.

“Yeah, we’re cool. But I hope you apologized to Bella!” He threw his hands up in the air, almost mockingly.

“Don’t worry, we’re all good here.”

“Well, your hand isn’t broken, but it sure is going to bruise up in the next couple of days. Might want to put some ice on it.” I nodded at Embry.  
“She can do that when we get to Emily’s. Come on, I’m starving!” Paul was always starving! Good grief, where does he put it all?! 

“So, uh...Are any of you going to tell me why Quil feels like a fucking rock? I mean, it feels like Medusa turned him into stone!” They all laughed as we piled into my car. Quil sat up by me and the other two knuckleheads sat in the back.

“Must be from all those drugs we’ve been taking, eh Maggie?” I flipped Quil the bird as we continued to drive on. But then I think I went deaf, because the peanut gallery in the back broke out in laughter.

“WHAT?!”

“Yeah, Maggie thought we were all doing drugs. That’s why she was so pissy the last time!” Gee, thanks a lot Quil.

“Maggie, you can’t be serious!”

“Hey, what the hell was I supposed to think when Bella told me you guys were in a gang! I mean, look at yourselves! Your buff as hell!” The idiots just laughed.

“What’s the matter, Maggie? Don’t you like buff guys?” Paul proceeded to flex his forearms and wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive way. I glared at him through the rearview mirror.

“Shut up, Paul!” The guys continued to tease me until we pulled up outside Emily’s place. “Hey, you guys never told me, but what’s the scoop with Sam and Emily? Last time I checked, he was going out with Leah.” The car got quiet, and the boys looked solem.

“Well, he was, but then he imprinted on Emily.” I’m always grateful for Quil telling me the facts straight up.

“Dude, shut up! These are trade secrets! I mean, her sister runs with vampires!”

“Hey, she has a right to know ever since our secret came out of the bag.” Already confused by the conversation, I decided to interrupt Quil and Paul.

“Hold up, but what’s imprinting?”

“It’s basically our version of finding a soulmate, except we can actually feel the pull towards the person. Vampires are kind of the same way, except there mating is more of a romantic pull and more possessive. For us, we would be anything and do anything for our imprints. It doesn’t have to be romantic.” I absorbed the information slowly, trying to make sense of it all. 

“But that doesn’t explain why Sam left Leah. I mean, they were madly in love with each other!”

“See, now it gets complicated. Sam never told her about Emily right away when they broke up, as he had to keep our phasing a secret and because he didn’t want to hurt Leah even more than he already did. And when Emily found out that Sam imprinted on her, she got angry because she didn’t want to upset Leah and told him to leave her alone. But that made Sam really angry, and he transformed right in front of her.” Holy shit!

“Dude, seriously? How’d she take it?” Now Quil became nervous.

“Well, uh...When Sam transformed, he was a little too close to Emily when it happened.” My mind froze. So that would explain the scars on her face. I gave Quil a side eye, not wanting to take my eyes off the road. Sensing my shock, he just nodded.

“Dude, that’s fucking nuts. I don’t know how he can live it. Did she forgive him, though?” This time it was Embry who spoke up.

“I mean, she really wasn’t that angry at him, if I recall. When she woke up in the hospital, she had some sort of revelation of her feelings towards Sam. I mean, she still feels really bad for Leah, but she does love Sam enough to marry him.” 

Wow, now that would explain why Leah never showed up to my party at Emily’s. After hearing all this, I thought I’d be mad at Sam, but I wasn’t. Clearly he felt really bad about hurting Leah and Emily. And to me, that showed he had a good heart. Even if he was still a bit of a douchebag. 

Once we got to Emily’s, we found a hot meal waiting for us. I was nearly trampled by the boys as they pushed ahead of me, eager to get their share first. Bunch of gluttons. Luckily, Emily scolded them and let me go first. I smiled at her gratefully, not realizing how hungry I was until now. As we sat and talked about all the stuff that was happening in our lives, Sam walked in and greeted Emily before turning to the rest of us. He stared at me for a while, making me slightly uncomfortable before grabbing a plate for himself. I must’ve lost myself because before I knew it it was nearly 6 pm. I stood up and said goodbye to the guys, not knowing that Sam followed me out to my car.

“Maggie, wait.” I turned to face Sam as he walked closer towards me.

“Hey, I apologize if Bella seemed out of line a couple weeks ago. She’s just going through a bad time since her boyfriend left. I guess she was worried that Jake was going to leave her too.” Sam nodded, but didn’t say anything. The silence went on for a while before I spoke up again. “So...Is there anything you needed to talk about, Sam?” Suddenly I was nervous. Was he going to be mad at me for bailing on the group that day I found out they were huge ass wolves? Sam looked away for a moment, looking a bit unsure.

“Yeah. I just wanted to make sure you were alright from last time. Quil and Embry told me you left after Paul and Jake got into that fight,” I looked down, feeling embarrassed, and I don’t know why.

“Not gonna lie, I’m still kind of freaked out about this whole thing. But after the initial shock wore off, I kinda just accepted the whole thing.” It wasn’t a total lie, to be honest. While the shock is gone, I’m still struggling with the fact that the supernatural walk among this planet. Like, if you told me all this shit before I moved back to Forks, there would be no way in hell I’d believe you. And while I mostly forgave the guys, I didn’t know if I could trust them anymore. I mean, I was afraid that if I hung around them, I would get hurt. What if I ended up like Emily?

Sam just nodded as another awkward silence upon us. I could hear him clear his throat, as if he was struggling to find the right words. Eventually he did. “Look, no offense Maggie, but I came to make sure you didn’t tell anyone about our secret. It’s bad enough that you already know.” Dude, seriously? That was kind of harsh. But I got what he was saying, so I nodded.

“No, I get it. You don’t want anyone to know because you want to protect them. And it would freak everyone out if they knew there were a bunch of bear sized wolves wandering about,” Sam nodded. He was about to interrupt me, but I decided to speak before he did, to reassure him. “But I haven’t told anyone. And neither has Bella. You guys were like family growing up. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you guys.” Sam and I stared each other down, waiting to see who would break first. It ended up being Sam, again. He nodded before breaking the silence.

“Well, take care Maggie.” He turned back without saying another word, leaving me dumbfounded. Shrugging it off, I got into my car and pulled away from Emily’s house. The entire ride home I could only think how nice it would be to experience that mating pull, wondering if humans could feel it too.

When we entered the middle of the month, tragedy struck. Harry Clearwater died of a heart attack when he and other Quileutes were helping dad track the “mysterious” animals that have been wandering about. Luckily, dad was nearby when Harry’s heart attack began, but they couldn’t get him to the hospital in time. Dad was so shook up about it. And I couldn’t blame him. He had to witness one of his best friends die right in front of him.

On the day of Harry’s funeral, the weather was dark and gloomy. How very fitting, I thought bitterly. Harry’s death affected me as hard as it hit dad. Harry was like an uncle to me, always looking out for me whenever I went to hang out at the Rez. Both he and Billy Black were terrific influences in my life, and I’m glad they were there when I needed them whenever I couldn’t speak to dad. I sat up in my bed and stretched. My belly started to swell a tiny bit, as my third month was just about finishing up and for my second trimester to start. I was starting to feel sore a bit, my breasts becoming somewhat tender. My food cravings were becoming somewhat stronger, which included powdered donuts covered with Easy Cheese and dipping Twinkies in ranch dressing. But the worst of all was the heartburn. Honest to god I wanted to die. It started off pretty mild, but now it fucking sucked. I was literally popping Tums all the time.

But today it wasn’t so bad. The pain of losing Harry took my mind off my pregnancy woes. I got up and dug around in my dresser for something to wear. I ended up finding a plain black dress that was sleeveless with a v-neck cut that went down beneath my breasts, but still covered everything. It went down to my knees, but it flowed nicely. Since I moved back here, I’ve been doing a little shopping for new clothes every now and then. It kinda sucked not having a closet though. I shrugged on the dress before putting on matching black ankle boots with silver buttons.

When I went downstairs to go into the bathroom, I noticed Bella’s door was open. Which was strange. She usually kept it shut. It was a weekend, so I imagined she’d still be sleeping. But when I looked in, Bella was gone. I just shrugged and walked into the bathroom. I felt like doing something fancy with my hair so I put it in a high bun, leaving some to hang down the side of my face. I curled those pieces before doing my makeup. I wasn’t a huge makeup guru like Hannah, so I just left it basic with a smokey eye look with pale pink lipstick and blush.

Making my way down the stairs slowly, I saw dad hunched over the kitchen table, looking quite forlorn. I made my way over to him and sat beside him, throwing an arm around his shoulders. He looked like he was crying. “Dad, are you alright?” Trying to cover up his emotions, he quickly rubbed his eyes before looking at me. Man, he looked rough.

“Yeah, I’m alright.” Dad, you’re such a liar. “So where are you going? It’s only 11:30?”

“I thought I’d go up to see if Sue needed any help before…” I didn’t need to say the words. We both know what was going down today. Dad just nodded. “But where’s Bella? She’s usually still sleeping in on a weekend.”

“She said she was going up to the Rez to hang with Jake before the funeral. If I knew you were going up there today I would’ve had her wait for you.” I smiled slightly as I shook my head.

“Forget about it dad,” I said as I rubbed his back as I stood up. I put on the new peacoat I bought for spring before grabbing my purse and keys and heading out the door.

It was about 12:15 when I pulled up to the Clearwater place. There were other cars parked there already, so I assumed I wasn’t the only one who came early to help out. I didn’t have to wait long after I knocked on the front door. Sue Clearwater answered, and man did she look terrible. My heart broke for her. I couldn’t even imagine how hard Seth and Leah were taking it. Sue smiled brightly when she saw me. “Well, if it isn’t Miss. Maggie. It’s about time you came to visit, darlin’!” I smiled as we embraced each other. When we pulled apart, I looked at her seriously.

“Sue, I’m so sorry about Harry. If there’s anything I can do for you…” Sue just laughed as she guided me into the house.

“Honey, you don’t have to do a thing. You were always like another daughter to Harry and I. I could never ask you to do something like that. It’s my job to look after you, not the other way around.” She pulled me into a side hug and I laid my head on her shoulder. Even though I came here early to help, Sue wouldn’t let me lift a finger, despite my multiple protests. So I sat and chatted with the other guys from the pack.

“So where’s Jake? I see his dad’s here, but I haven’t seen him all day. What gives?” Embry just rolled his eyes and scoffed.

“He’s hanging out with Bella at the beach. He hasn’t stopped talking about her since that leech left town. It’s like he’s in love or something.” The others laughed. So my suspicions about Jake have been confirmed. He did have a crush on Bella. Well, he’s got my vote. They seemed cute together, so I’m rooting for them. Even though Bella wouldn’t shut up about that idiot ex boyfriend of hers.

“Yeah, he can’t even stop thinking about her either. And it’s pretty fucking annoying.” The laughter continued until Sue glared over at us.

“Language, young man!” We all laughed as Paul turned red. I laughed so hard I almost peed myself. Once I composed myself, I asked them how the hell they knew what Jake thinks about all the time. 

Quil turned to me and said, “Anyone who's a shape-shifter can read each other's thoughts. And Jake has been thinking of her often.”

“Yeah, like ‘I wish Bella would call!’”

“I wish Bella wouldn’t call!”

“Maybe I should call Bella.”

“Maybe I should call Bella and hang up!” While the guys laughed, I had so many questions.

“But wait a minute, couldn’t you guys just tune out what other people are saying?” Quil shook his head.

“Afraid not. We’re completely connected to each other when we’re in our wolf form. The only way for us to block others from reading our thoughts is to break with the pack and join another pack.”

“But alphas like Sam can control what thoughts they share, which is completely bs in my humble opinion.”

“Since when were you ever humble, Paul Lahote? Last time I checked, you’re such an attention whore!” Quil and Embry laughed as I roasted Paul, who looked annoyed, as usual.

“You know, she’s got a point Paul. You are kind of a drama queen.” I laughed as I watched the boys heckle each other. As I looked around the room, I spotted Seth and Leah in a corner, so I decided to walk over to them.

“Hey guys, I’m sorry to hear about your dad. If there’s anything I can do for you, just let me know. I mean, we’re practically family.” Seth looked like he was going to say something, but Leah beat him to it.

“You can tell your sister to stop torturing Jake. His inner monologue is getting pretty sickening.” Woah, where did that come from? Now I felt uncomfortable.

“Yeah, the guys told me about that. But I don’t understand what Bella did wrong though.” Leah looked at me hard.

“Because she’s been leading him on, that’s what she’s doing wrong. Everyone in the pack knows Jake’s in love with her, but she can’t stop thinking about that leech,” she snapped. Damn Leah, are you on your period or what? She’s never been this bitchy before. And what did she mean about everyone in the pack? Was she a shape-shifter too?

“I mean, I can say something to her, but she has been taking her breakup pretty hard. And Jake’s the only friend she’s been leaning on right now. But I don’t think that’s considered leading someone on.” This was obviously the wrong thing to say because Leah got even more agitated than she was.

“Fine, take her side for all I care!” She then proceeded to storm off to another room in the house. I flinched when I heard a door slam. 

“Geeze, what got into her?! She’s usually not like this.” Seth placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it Maggie. She’s still pretty upset about dad. Plus, she’s not really adjusting to her being a shapeshifter.” Ah, so she was one after all. I turned to look at Seth with a strange look on my face.

“Since when did Leah join the pack?”

“She started transforming right before dad died. Which probably explained all the stress and anxiety he had right before he died.” This shook me. Was Harry’s heart attack brought on by Leah’s transformation? Man, now I really feel bad for the Clearwaters. Seth left my side to greet some of his other relatives while I mozied on back by Quil, Paul, and Embry, who were still bickering with each other. I sat and watched them as I played with my phone, trying to make sense of everything.

After a while, me and the guys grew uncomfortable by the family scene, and decided to head down to the beach. As we walked closer to the sandy shores, I spotted a figure on top of a nearby cliff. At first I thought it was a random kid, but why would they have their clothes still on. On closer inspection, I realized it was Bella. I started to freak. The other guys must’ve spotted her too because I could hear them freak out as well.

“Bella! What the fuck are you doing?!” But she couldn’t hear me. My worst fear came to life as I watched my little sister jump from the cliff, presumably killing herself. I screamed bloody murder as I sank on my knees, crying. I heard one of the guys say something about getting Jake, but I didn’t hear them. My one sister. Gone. I started to sob uncontrollably, thinking about dad. First he loses his best friend, then he loses his youngest daughter. I couldn’t take it. As I rocked on knees, I saw a blur pass before my eyes. I looked up just in time to see Jake dive into the water.

Oh please, please don’t let it be too late. Somehow, I still had a sense of optimism. I could still feel that connection I had with Bella. The guys and I watched with bated breath as we saw Jake pull a body from the water and lay it on the sand. I rushed over to my sister, who looked dead to me. “Bella! Bella! Can you hear me? Oh Bella, please wake up!”

Jake started CPR. “Come on, Bella. Breathe.” I watched Jake become emotional as he continued CPR. I almost passed out from relief when I saw Bella move. Thank the lord! 

“Bella! Bella! Can you hear me? It’s Maggie!” I saw her head turn towards me and her eyes opened. She smiled at me.

“Maggie, is that you?” I grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug, crying uncontrollably.

“Bella, how could you do something so stupid?!” She didn’t say a word as she clung to me like a baby.

“Here, let me take her. Let’s get her back to Emily’s.” I nodded and handed my sister off to Jake. The other guys and I followed Jake. I was trembling so bad from the shock, I couldn’t walk properly, stumbling with each step I took. High heeled boots were not wise for the beach. I felt two strong arms come at my sides, lifting me up as I walked. Somehow, we all managed to pile in my car and drove to Emily’s.

A rush of emotions flew by me as we got to Emily’s. I watched the scene unfold before me, not saying a single word as Emily rushed to get Bella dried off. The guys tried to distract me, but to no avail. I was still reeling from the shock from watching my sister almost die. Jake offered to bring me home along with Bella, promising to bring my car back another time. I nodded weakly. There was no way I could drive home in my state, and Jake must’ve sensed that as well. The guys promised to give some excuse to dad when he showed up to the funeral. Bella sat in the middle between Jake and I, leaning her head on his shoulder. I stared out the window with a blank expression, watching the rain fall. It was dark out when we pulled up to the house, but no one got out. Jake and Bella were talking, but I was so zoned out I didn’t pay attention. Until I spotted a mysterious car sitting in the driveway.

“Hey Bells, whose car is that?” She lifted her head off Jake’s shoulder and stared for a moment, before getting excited. 

“Oh my gosh! I think that’s Alice’s car!” I felt myself being smushed into the seat as Bella climbed over me. I stared at Jake, who looked the same way he did that night at the movies.

“Jake, are you ok?” I was afraid. He wasn’t answering me.

“I think the blood sucker returned,” I heard him growl. At first I was confused, but then I remembered that Alice was the name of Edward’s sister. I leapt out of the truck and ran up to the house, where Bella was just entering the front door.

“Bella, wait!” But she didn’t listen. For all I know, that could be some maniac’s car sitting in our driveway. I became fearful, thinking about Victoria. She didn’t know where we lived, did she? Bella and I cautiously entered the house. As soon as I turned on the lights Bella screamed, causing me to scream. Standing in front of me was a short, pixie like girl, who I could only assume was Alice. Bella pulled her into a tight hug.

“Alice! Oh my god!” 

“Bella!”

“I’m sorry! I just can’t believe you're here. Is...Is…” I knew what she was going to ask. She was going to ask if Edward was here.

“Bella, would you like to explain to me how you’re alive?” 

“What?”

“I saw a vision of you. You jumped off a cliff. Why in the hell would you try to kill yourself?” THANK YOU! I didn’t know who Alice was, but I like her. A lot. Finally, someone with sense! “I mean, what about Charlie? And what about your poor sister here? She could’ve lost her baby!” Now I felt awkward. For the first time since we got home, I was acknowledged. And how the hell did she know I was Bella’s sister? And that I was pregnant?! Like, what the fuck was going on?!

“But I didn’t try to kill myself.” That’s not what it looked like Bella. “I was cliff jumping. Recreationally. It was fun.” Now I felt anger boil up inside me.

“Bella, it was stupid! You scared the shit out of me! I mean, I thought you were dead!” I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her a bit, kind of getting too emotional. She pulled me into a hug.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s ok.” I started to sob uncontrollably as Bella rubbed my back, feeling kind of embarrassed as Alice watched us.

“Look, why don’t we sit down and talk about this?” Bella released me and nodded at Alice. The two sat on the loveseat while I sat on the coffee table. “Bella, I have never met anyone more prone to life threatening idiocy.” There was an awkward pause as Bella sighed and looked away, feeling like a child being scolded by a parent.

“I just...Did you...Tell him?” Alice just shook her head.

“No. He only calls every few months. He said he wants to be alone.” I had to inwardly scoff at the irony. Leaving my sister in the middle of the woods only to go be by himself was a complete mind fuck. Bella looked like she was going to cry. And even though I was still mad at her, I felt myself feeling sorry for her. I saw Alice pull a face. “Bella, what is that god awful wet dog smell?”

“Umm...That’s probably me. But...It’s probably Jacob.”   
“Jacob who?”

“Jacob’s kind of a werewolf.” Alice sighed in frustration, rolling her eyes.

“Bella, werewolves are not good company to keep.” Oh, like vampires are any different? The situation became more awkward as I saw Jake walking into the living room, looking pissed. Oh boy, here we go.

“Speak for yourself.” Alice stood up and turned to look at Jake. “I had to see if you were safe.”

“I thought you couldn’t protect me here?” What the fuck was she talking about?

“Guess I don’t care.” Wow, Jake sounds really torn up. I saw the two of them stare each other down. There was no doubt in my mind that Jake loved her.

“Well, I’m not going to hurt her. Or Maggie!” Ok, how did this cute, pixie like vampire know my name? Things were starting to become a little freaky. Jake turned his glance at Alice and stared at her, like she was some sort of insect that needed to be squashed.

“No, you’re just a harmless Cullen. I’m talking about the other blood sucker who tried to kill her because of you.” Alice turned to look at Bella.

“Victoria?” Bella nodded.

“Yeah, Victoria’s been around. Maggie and I even ran into Laurent last month. He tried to kill us for her.” Alice looked at me, and I looked away, feeling awkward. I so wanted the ground to swallow me whole right now.

“But I didn’t see her. I didn’t see you get pulled out of the water either,” Alice turned to look at Jake. “I can’t see past you or your pack mutts!” 

“Don’t. Get me upset!” Jake started to walk towards Alice, but Bella got in between them. 

“Hey, stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!” She looked between Alice and Jake, unsure who to choose. 

“I’ll...give you a minute.” She turned to leave, but Bella stopped her.

“Hey, you’re not going anywhere, right? You’re going to come back?” 

“As soon as you put the dog out.” Damn! That was cold! I watched Alice walk out the front door before turning back to look at Jake and Bella. An awkward silence fell before I headed towards the door as well. 

“I’ll...I’ll give you a minute as well!” Not wanting to deal with anymore drama, I walked out the door and sat down on the steps, trying to regulate my breathing. I felt a figure sit next to me.

“Hey, are you alright?” I looked up and saw Alice staring at me with concern. I nodded slightly.

“Yeah, I think so.” We listened to the crickets chirping in the background before Alice spoke up again. 

“I’m Alice, by the way. Edward’s sister.” She offered her hand and I shook it, almost flinching. Man, she was cold as ice. Bella wasn’t kidding. No wonder the Quileutes called vampires “the cold ones.” 

“I’m Maggie. But I guess you already knew that,” we both smiled a little as I looked down sheepishly as the crickets continued to chirp. After a few minutes, Alice spoke up again.

“So Bella said Victoria’s been around?” I shrugged a little bit, since I didn’t know what Victoria looked like, except that she had blazing red hair.

“Technically, no. Her buddy with the dreads we saw, though. He almost killed me and Bella in the woods. That’s kinda how I found out about vampires.” Alice nodded slowly, a cog turning in her head as she looked concerned. “The Volturi aren’t going to kill me, are they?” She looked up at me in shock.

“You know about the Volturi?”

“Yeah. Bella kinda fessed up about you guys after Laurent tried to kill us.” I instantly remembered the punishment for revealing the existence of vampires, and I immediately spoke up again before Alice could. “But it’s not Bella’s fault. I’ve been sort’ve pestering her about it too because she wouldn’t say why Edward left her.” Alice nodded slowly but didn’t answer my question. “Plus, I’ve been kinda having weird dreams lately.” That’s what caught her attention.

“What kind of dreams?” She looked at me warily. As if she knew something. But then again, I figured out that she could have visions and all that fun stuff.

“They were just about this one guy. I think he’s a vampire because he had red eyes like Laurent. But he’s probably not real,”I said as I shrugged my shoulders. I looked at Alice’s, noticing they were this beautiful gold color. If she was a vampire, why were her eyes red?

“What did this guy look like, Maggie?”

“Well, he was kinda tall and is pale like you, perhaps even more so. He had long black hair too,” I looked over to Alice, but she looked like she wasn’t listening. I had a sneaking suspicion that she indeed knew something. Was this guy actually real? I decided to see if I could coax the answer out of her. “But like I told you, he’s probably not real. Right?” I gave her a side eye, and saw that her face went from concerned to worry. Aha! She did know something. “I knew it! You know something, don’t you Alice? You can’t lie to me since I know you can see visions and stuff!”

But she didn’t answer me. She just stared off into space like she was lost. Then without a warning, she stood up and ran into the house. I looked confused before following her. I could hear Alice from the kitchen. “Bella, it’s Edward. He’s going to the Volturi. He wants to die too.” Oh no. I had a bad feeling about this. Before I could stop Bella from leaving, she went out the door, after a few protests from Alice, who had enough common sense to try to stop her. 

“Bella, where the hell do you think you’re going?!” She didn’t turn to face me.

“I’m going after Edward.” 

“What the fuck Bella?! Are you crazy?!” I didn’t notice that Jake came and stood right next to me.

“She’s right, Bella. He didn’t want you anymore, remember?”

“No, I’m not going to let him kill himself out of guilt.”

“What about your dad? And what about Maggie?” I suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline. There was no way I could let herself get killed in Italy. I spoke up before Bella could.

“Bells, I’m coming with,” as I opened the back door to Alice’s car, Bella grabbed my arm.

“Maggie, no! It’s too dangerous for you to come! What about your baby?” She had a point there. But like Bella, I also had episodes of stupidity. Including today. But that didn’t matter right now.

“Bella’s right, Maggie. I don’t want to drag you into a pit filled with vampires.” I ignored Alice as I continued to look at Bella.

“Bells, I’m your older sister. It’s my job to look after you. I’m not going to let yourself get killed over a stupid boy!” Before she could protest, I slid into the backseat, before I could regret anything, hearing Alice mutter something how I was stubborn like Bella. Which wasn’t a lie. I saw Bella turn to look at Jake.

“I’m 18. Legally free to go when I want to go.” You know, if I was Bella’s age, I would’ve said the same crap she did. And she did have a point. But we’re talking about leaving the country without a notice to go to a country across the ocean! There’s no way dad was going to like this. Before we could drive off, Jake stuck his head through Alice’s window.

“Please Bella. Stay here. For Charlie. And for your sister. And for me.” Bella looked at him for a moment before speaking up.

“I have to go.” Was she going to cry? Because it sounded like she was going to cry. Jake sighed before pulling his head out. I rolled my window down and looked at Jake.

“Jake, tell my father I went after her, alright?” He looked at me for a moment before nodding. Alice pulled out from the side of the curb, and I continued to look back at Jake as we sped off to the airport, wondering if I regretted my decision.


	11. Fate Pt. 1

We drove all the way to Seattle and got on a connecting flight to New York. The 5 ½ hour flight nearly killed me. I don’t know when pregnant women start peeing a lot more, but it’s certainly been a pain in the ass getting up at least 100 times. But then again, I was drinking a lot of water to keep myself calm. I looked over to see Bella and Alice chatting. I don’t know how they can keep calm. Well, if Alice can see the future then maybe this will have a good outcome. I don’t want Bella to sulk around if her idiotic ex boyfriend gets killed.

We finally landed at LaGuardia Airport sometime in the early morning. As we made our way across the airport to a different terminal, I struggled to keep myself awake. I hardly got any sleep on the first plane ride, due to the fact that there was a shit ton of turbulence and a little kid kept kicking the back of my seat. I made a mental note to teach my kid to have better manners than that hellspawn.

Luckily, the gate for our next flight wasn’t that far, and we were able to board almost right away. Alice let me have the aisle seat, making it easier for me to get up when needed. She sat in the middle, talking to someone on the phone while Bella stared out the window. When Alice hung up, she went into one of her trances, rubbing her temple slightly. She stayed like that long after we were up in the air, on our way to Florence. I decided to get some sleep, with my headphones in so I could listen to the movie. As much as I wanted to stay up and watch Labryinth, which was another favorite of mine, I was just too damn exhausted. It was pretty easy to fall asleep this time. With David Bowie crooning “As The World Falls Down.”

The same song played in the background as I slipped into a blissful dream, finding myself in the exact same scene in the movie. Except my dress was a little different. I was wearing a pale yellow ball gown with cap sleeves and a ruffled skirt. I found myself with no one other than him, the man who had me entranced under his hypnotic spell. He was smiling at me as we waltzed together. Suddenly, I felt myself alone with him, the crowd disappearing. We stopped dancing, and he pulled me closer to his body. I shivered as one of his hands slid down my back, resting just above my ass. I felt his lips graze my ear as hugged me tighter. “I’ll always be here for you, cara mia. Soon you’ll be mine.” 

My breath hitched as he kissed down the side of my neck, pushing up against a table, which came out of nowhere apparently. Not removing his lips from my neck, he released his grip on my hips, slowly making his way down my legs. I moaned slightly as I felt his hands go under my skirt, skimming the surface of my legs gently. He leaned forward, pushing me backwards onto the table, raising my legs, wrapping them around him. I arched slightly as he kissed his way back up my neck before looking me right in the eye. One hand came up to my face and held it. The way he was looking at me was strange. Like I was the first person he’s ever seen. “So beautiful…” He learned forward to kiss me, but before he could I was literally shaken awake. Whoever heard of being cock blocked by turbulence.

Removing my headphones, I rubbed my eyes and stretched. I stared over to my companions, Bella looking more nervous as usual, biting her nails. I leaned towards Alice and whispered, “Any word on Edward?” She bit her lip, still looking unsure.

“Not exactly. He’s getting closer though. He’s still deciding how to ask.” I nodded and looked away. One one hand, I felt really terrible for Bella. This was her first love for crying out loud! But then again I thought she was still really stupid to go after a guy who doesn’t want her. I looked up to see if it was clear to get up from my seat, and fortunately it was. I really had to pee. Quickly unbuckling my seatbelt, I sped walked to the back of the plane. Luckily, it was unoccupied. While in the bathroom, I thought of dad. He was definitely home by now. I could only imagine how much pain Bella and I are causing him. But my duty as an older sister was more important. Like I’ve told Bella multiple times, it’s my job to look out for her.

After I left the bathroom, I made my way past the sleeping occupants of the plane and back into my seat, where I saw Alice and Bella in a frantic discussion. “What’s up?” On closer inspection, I noticed that Bella was hyperventilating. Oh shit, this can’t be good.

“They might tell him no.” I looked at Alice curiously. “They’re too interested in him because of his talent. They’re going to offer a place with them.” I mentally sighed out of relief. At least I know Bella will be spared from any more pain.

“What exactly is his talent? Bella never told me this stuff.”

“He can read minds, but apparently he can’t read Bella’s.” That’s not surprising. Bella was always the one to hide her feelings, even if she wasn’t good at it most of the time. It was like there was an invisible shield around her. 

“So do you know what he’s going to tell them?” She shook her head.

“Not yet, but I’ll bet it’s colorful. But this is good news for us. They’re intrigued and consider killing him a waste, as Aro would put it. Now Edward will be forced to get creative, which may buy us some time,” I nodded, not paying attention to anything but that strange name. Aro. I felt like I heard it before. He must be one of the Volturi.

“Hey Alice?”

“Hm?”

“Forgive me for being so pryful, but are all your vision fuzzy like this? Or can you see things that are crystal clear?”

“Well, I wouldn’t consider this vision as fuzzy, because the events are immediate and close, and I’m really concentrating, which helps determine the clarity of my visions. However, if the things come on their own are far away and are just glimpses that aren’t really certain. Plus, I see my kind much clearer than yours. Edward's easier because I’m so attuned to him.” I nodded, processing what she said. Out of curiosity, I decided to ask her one more thing.

“Hey Alice? Can I ask you another question?” She looked at me and smiled.

“I bet you’re wondering what your baby is going to be.” I blushed slightly. How’d she know I was going to ask that? Did she foresee it in a vision?

“Well, yeah. It’s a little early for me to find out yet, and I was just wondering if you knew, considering this is something that will actually happen.” She nodded.

“Yep, that I can see. Did you want me to tell you?” I shook my head furiously.

“No no! I’m fine. I kind of wanted to wait to find out. I think I might do a reveal at my baby shower.” I totally forgot about Bella saying to not mention any parties around Alice, because her eyes just lit up.

“Oh, so you are going to throw a shower. Can I help plan it? I just love throwing parties!” I laughed slightly and nodded. 

“Of course. Bella told me how good you are with parties.” She just laughed and went back to focusing on her vision. I decided to go back to sleep. But it wasn’t long before I heard Bella having a mini panic attack. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“They told him no.” Oh shit!

“Is that good or bad?”

“Originally we were doing fine but now he keeps changing his plans. Originally he tried hunting in the city, because that’s against the law in Volterra. But he changed his mind and now he’s just going to walk straight in the sun in front of a bunch of humans!” Oh yeah, this was definitely bad. Bella told me how a vampire’s skin looked like a million diamonds in the sun.

“So how long do we have?” I could feel my own voice go quiet.

“We definitely have to get into the city by tomorrow. Right now, he’s leaning towards the melodramatic. He wants enough people to be there as possible. There’s a clock tower in the middle of the city, so he’s going to wait until the sun is directly over it.”

“So noon, then?”

“If we’re lucky.” This made me nervous. As much as I hated Edward, I didn’t want him to die. I tried to go back to sleep to prepare myself for the worst.

Alice woke Bella and I up as the plane started to descend into Florence. I really hated the fact that we were only in Italy for a rescue mission and not for sightseeing. Ever since I saw a picture of the Trevi Fountain, I made it my life’s goal to make it to Italy, even though the Trevi Fountain was in Rome. I didn’t care though. With every picture I’ve seen of Italy, from the Vatican to the Colosseum, I wanted to do a cross country trip. And I heard they had excellent wine, wink wink. Although I was super pissed that I wouldn’t be able to have some when I come back from Andy’s wedding, given the timing of my pregnancy. Great. How was I going to numb the pain during the wedding?!

It seemed like forever before we were able to get off the plane. I nearly collapsed from jet lag as we entered the terminal. Thank god we didn’t need any luggage. As we headed towards the main entrance to the airport, I got confused. How far away was Volterra and how the hell were we going to make it there on time? Alice seemed to know exactly what she was doing because she told Bella and I to wait in the lobby. While we waited, Bella turned to me. “Hey, Maggie?”

“Hmm?” I gave her a side eye. 

“I’m really sorry for putting you through all that. I really wasn’t trying to kill myself.” I sighed and shook my head before I pulled her into a side hug.

“I appreciate the apology Bells, but it really looked like you were going to kill yourself. I mean, what the hell was going on in your mind?”

“I was trying to see Edward.” I looked at her with pure confusion. 

“Bella, what the fuck does that even mean? How could you even see him if he’s thousands of miles away?”

“Ok, call me crazy, but I’ve been seeing visions of him a lot lately. And doing a lot of reckless stuff has been making me see him.” I narrowed my eyes. What kind of “reckless stuff” was she talking about?

“Bells, what have you actually been doing when I’m not around?” Feeling a scolding coming on, she looked away, almost embarrassed.

“Oh you know, I found a pair of bikes and had Jake fix them up. He taught me how to ride until I lost control of mine and crashed and broke my hand. Then I was in Port Angeles with Jessica and took up some random guy on his offer for a spin on his bike.” My eyes almost popped out of my sockets because I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Before I could give Bella the scolding of a lifetime, Alice came back, wearing a scarf and sunglasses, holding a pair of keys.

“Ready to go?” We both nodded before following her outside. There before us was a bright, yellow Porsche with the word “turbo” scrawled in silver on the backside. “Hurry! Get in!” We did what we were told before Alice took off in a roar, with a crowd of people staring after us.

“Uh, Alice, just where exactly did you get this car?”

“I hope you aren’t too opposed to a little grand theft auto.” I groaned. Great. Not only were we breaking the speed limit, but we were breaking it in a stolen car! Even Bella felt a little uncomfortable with Alice’s choice of car.

“Sheesh, Alice. Could you pick a more conspicuous car to steal?”

“The important question is whether I could’ve stolen a faster car, and I don’t think so. I got lucky.” Wait a minute. There are faster cars than this?! I found that hard to believe as I clutched onto my seatbelt and onto Bella for dear life, who looked scared shitless as well. I tried to get a glimpse of Florence and the Tuscan landscape out of the window, but it was no use. We were going too fast. How the cops haven’t pulled us over yet still amazes me. Pretty soon I saw a walled in town in the distance, nestled in between hills. That must be Volterra.

“Do you see anything more, Alice?” Bella started to sound desperate, and I couldn’t blame her. If the guy I still loved was in danger, I’d be freaking out more.

“There’s something going on. Some kind of festival I think. I see people wearing red. What’s the date?” Bella scrunched up her face.

“The 19th, maybe?”

“Well, that’s ironic. It’s St. Marcus Day.”

“Which means what, exactly?”

“It’s a celebration the city holds every year to commemorate the expulsion of vampires from the city by Father Marcus, which happens to be Marcus of the Volturi. Legend says that Father Marcus drove out all the vampires 1500 years ago and was martyred in Romania trying to purge the world of vampires.” How ironic. A vampire driving out other vampires. “But that’s just a load of nonsense. Marcus never left the city. Which brought about superstitions about crosses and garlic.” My face turned red as Alice glanced at me in the rearview mirror. I wondered if she knew I believed all that stuff. Probably.

No one said another word as the city slowly crept up upon us. I suddenly had an odd sense of foreboding. Like something was going to change Bella’s life. And mine. Speaking of Bella, she was close to panicking.

“Tell me what I have to do.”

You don’t have to do anything. He still plans on walking out at noon. And they’re waiting for him. He just has to see you before he enters the light.”

“And how am I supposed to do that, exactly?”

“I’m going to try to get you as close to the clock tower as possible. But you’re going to have to run in the direction I point you to.” Oh great. That’s going to go over swell. NOT! Bella was a complete klutz. Trying to run through a crowd of people without tripping was going to take a miracle.

As we began the steep climb into the city, the path became more narrower and congested. Cars became too close together for Alice to swerve like a maniac like she did in the countryside. Currently it felt like we were moving at a snail’s pace behind a little tan car. I could hear Bella groan as the little clock on the dash moved closer to noon. Unfortunately, we came to a blocked off parking lot, where the festivities were being held. There was no way we could drive though.

“Alice, what do I do now?”

“Bella, I can’t see what this guard here will decide, if this doesn’t work, you’re going to have to continue on alone. You’re just going to have to run. Just keep asking for the Palazzo dei Priori, or the clock tower if they speak English. Then keep running. Edward will be under the clock tower, a little north of the square. There’s a narrow alleyway on the right, and he’ll be standing in the shadows. Make sure you get his attention before he steps into the sun.” Bella nodded as we approached a man in a navy blue uniform, who was lazily directing traffic.

I prayed for a miracle as most cars made a u-turn and headed back to find a place on the road. Alice accelerated, going around him just barely, and headed for the gate. He shouted at us in Italian, but held his ground as he waved frantically to stop the car behind us from doing the same thing. We couldn’t get past the next guard though. As we came to a full stop, I noticed that many people were staring at us, as if they had never seen a Porsche before. The guard came up to the car and knocked on the window furiously. Alice rolled the window down halfway.

“I’m sorry, but only tour buses are allowed in the city today, miss,” he mumbled in a thick English. Now I could see what Bella was talking about when she told me about the pixie-like girl named Alice, who was able to charm everyone around her. I saw Alice reach her hand out the window, thinking what the fuck she was doing before I noticed she was wearing gloves. She handed him a thick roll of money, with the outside bill being a one thousand dollar bill. 

“It’s a private tour,” she said as she flashed an alluring smile.

“Is this a joke?!”

“Only if you think it’s funny.” The clock caught my eye. We only had five minutes before Edward carried out his suicide plan. “I’m in a wee bit of a hurry, if you don’t mind.” The guard stared at us for a moment, reluctantly letting us through. As we drove through the city, I couldn’t help but notice the vintage charm it had, with cobbled stone streets and faded cinnamon brown buildings. Red flags decorated the walls, flapping in the wind. “Just a little farther, Bella!” My sister looked like she was ready to throw herself out of the car. People shook their fists and yelled in Italian as we broke through the crowds.

We turned onto a street that was obviously not meant for cars, causing more angry noises from the crowd. We found another street at the end, where the crowd was thicker here than anywhere else. Alice pointed in a direction I couldn’t make out. Curse my shortness! “There! We’re at the southern end of the square. Run straight across, to the right of the clock tower. You only have two minutes! I’ll find a way around.” And with that, Bella threw herself out of the car and ran. I silently prayed that she would make it as Alice made some more twists and turns until we found a hidden spot away from the crowds and in the shade. 

We sat there for a few minutes before Alice turned to look at me. “I’m going to find Bella and Edward before anything goes too far. Maggie, whatever you do, please stay in the car!” Man, she sounded frantic, which sounded a little out of character for her. I nodded at her, slightly confused. Why did she want me to stay in the car? I watched Alice exit the car, trying to run as fast as she could to the middle of the square, trying to act inconspicuous as she could. 

I sat alone in silence, feeling quite useless. I came here to help my sister, but I was left out in the cold, even though it felt like it was in the low 60s. I started feeling a bit warm, so I climbed out from the car and stretched, taking in my surroundings. You know, if I wasn’t facing the possibility of death, I’d actually come back here to visit. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, I had enough. It was time to take action into my own hands. Hold on, Bells. I’m coming for you.

ALICE POV

I was able to locate Edward and Bella at the right moment. Bella managed to stop him in the nick of time. When I found them, some of the Volturi guard was already with them. “Come on guys. It’s a festival. You wouldn’t want to make a scene.” Edward rolled his eyes, but I didn’t care. I enjoyed being sassy a little bit. Felix and Demetri looked at me.

“Who wouldn’t,” Felix said sardonically. I heard tapping coming from behind Felix and Demetri, noticing a tiny figure approaching. It was Jane, perhaps one of the most powerful members of the Volturi Guard.

“Enough.” Even though she was tiny, she still looked imposing. I lowered my gaze. “Aro sent me to see what was taking so long.” She glanced at Felix and Demetri before staring at us. Without saying a word, she turned back where she came from, and we followed her cautiously. This wasn’t going to be good. I’m glad I told Maggie to stay in the car, even though I already knew she had a place in the Volturi. I looked at Bella, who looked skeptical. 

“Just do as she says.” We walked down deeper into the castle, where the light of day was rarely seen. 

“Don’t be scared,” Edward said to Bella.

“Are you?” 

“No.” Jane made a noise that made it seem like she didn’t believe him. We soon came to an elevator and stepped inside. The opera music playing in the background made it even more sinister. I shared a look with Bella before looking away. 

We stepped out, making our way past the Volturi’s secretary, who greeted us in Italian. Poor thing was probably going to become a meal soon.

“Is she human?”

“Yes.”

“Does she know?”

“Yes.”

“But why would…” Bella let her mind wander, trying to figure out why the Volturi had a human secretary. It didn’t take her long to figure it out. “She wants to be.” Just like you, Bella.

“And so she will be.” I glanced up at Demetri before looking straight ahead. None of the secretaries lasted for long. Or so I heard. Jane agreed.

“Or desert.” We finally came to a pair of ornate doors that lead to the throne room. Marcus, Aro, and Caius were sitting in their respective thrones, looking apprehensive.

“Sister. I send you out to get one, and you bring back two. And a half. Such a clever girl.” Jane walked over to her twin brother Alec, another powerful guard. Aro stood up from his throne, looking sickenly happy.

“What a happy surprise. Bella is alive after all. Isn’t that wonderful. I love a happy ending. They’re so rare. But I want the whole story. How did this happen, Alice?” He offered his hand, and I flinched slightly. If he touched me, he would see Maggie, and that was the last thing I wanted. Even though she was his mate, she was in a vulnerable position. Aro must’ve noticed my flinch, and raised a brow. Hesitantly, I gave him my hand, which he took eagerly. His smile froze on his face when he read my thoughts. I did my best to hide Maggie, but it was no use. How quickly Aro looked up at me, looking stunned. He slowly let go of my hand, trying to process what he’d just seen. In a quiet voice, he nearly whispered to me, “Where is she, Alice?”

Bella must’ve caught on pretty fast, because she looked at the two of us, sensing that her sister was in danger. I looked at Aro, almost defiantly. “I left her in the car. Where she belongs. She’s in no position to be here.” I saw Aro twitch a little, no doubt annoyed at the fact that I was keeping his mate from him.

“Nevertheless, I would still like to meet her,” he turned from me to look at Demetri. Oh no. He was going to have her tracked down and brought here. Dammit, I shouldn’t have let her come along! “Demetri, I need you to go out and-” 

“No!” Everyone turned to look at me. “I told you, she’s too vulnerable to be brought here!”

“And yet you let her follow you and Bella here. My dear Alice, if you really did care for the girl’s safety, you wouldn’t-” But Aro was interrupted by the doors opening up from behind us, and I could hear a pair of heels.

“Master Aro, I found another one wandering about. She said she was looking for her sister.” I turned to look over my shoulder. It was Heidi, the “fisher” of the Volturi, who lured innocent humans to their demise. And there next to her, was Maggie, looking scared shitless. Dammit!


	12. Fate Pt. 2

I don’t know how I made it to the clock tower, but I did. Somehow, something inside me showed me the way, as if there was some giant magnet pulling me to the center of something important. Something that my whole life revolved around. I felt the need to get close to it, whatever it was, to feel whole.

So I ran through the sea of red, not caring if I bumped into people or not, much to the displeasure of my boots. Once I reached the water fountain, I searched frantically for Bella, searching every shadowy place I could find. But I couldn’t find her. Great. How the hell was I going to explain this to dad? Oh, sorry dad. I kinda lost Bella and went to save her from a group of puritanical vampires! I’m sure that would go over well. Especially with the pack. Oh my god, that conversation would be a nightmare. Especially with Jake. I suddenly felt myself on the urge of a panic attack. I nearly collapsed on the fountain bench as tears started flowing. I tried to cover my sobs by choking them, but to no avail. I began to break down in front of a crap load of people, but I didn’t care. There had to be a way for me to find Bella. I almost lost her once. I wasn’t going to make that same mistake again. My savior, or so I thought came in the appearance of a gorgeous woman with beautiful mahogany colored hair dressed in a red velvet dress, with a scarf covering her head and black gloves adorning her hands.

I sensed her sitting down right next to me, scooting a little too close. “Hey hon, what’s the matter? Are you lost?” Something about this woman spooked me, and I don’t know why. Yet, at the same time, I was fascinated. With my head still buried in my knees, I shook my head, still crying.

“No. I just...I’m looking for my sister. She came here to find her boyfriend, but she ran off! Oh, my dad’s gonna kill me!” I wailed louder in my knees, not giving a crap who could hear me. Stupid pregnancy hormones. I felt her put an arm around my shoulders, which made me flinch a little. She felt cold, which was odd, because we were directly in the sun. I felt her lift me up from the stone fountain, leading me away from the sunlight.

“Here, hon, come with me. I’m sure we can find your sister together.” I sniffed as she led me inside where I felt a cool rush of air. I looked up, noticing I was in some sort of hallway that belonged in a fancy hotel. With her arm still around my shoulders, the mysterious lady in red led me through a back alley, and down a flight of brick stairs that oddly reminded me of a dungeon. Suddenly, I was scared. An eerie sense of foreboding filled me with suspicion. We came upon an elevator where I was shoved gently inside. As the elevator moved further down into the earth, I stole a glance at my “savior.” She took off her headscarf, wrapping it around her neck. She was stunningly beautiful. I was under a trance until I noticed her eyes. They were red. Oh fuck. I gasped, and she turned to look at me.

When the elevator opened, she moved to walk out. But I stayed, pressing myself against the wall. She looked at me, almost coquettishly. “What’s the matter, don’t you want to find your sister?” I shook my head furiously.

“Um, no thanks. I think I can find her on my own.” I went to press the up button, but she grabbed me by the arm.

“Oh, I don’t think so,” she smiled so sickly. I tried to escape from her grip, but it was no use. She dragged me through a reception area, where a woman looked at us with concern. Ignoring the woman’s questions, my captor dragged me down a dimly lit hallway that definitely reminded me of a dungeon. I begged with her to let me go, but she ignored me. We then came to a pair of double doors. Not letting go of my arm, she knocked three times before the doors opened. “Master Aro, I found another one wandering about. She said she was looking for her sister.” Oh fuck. I heard that name before, which could only mean one thing. I was brought in front of the Volturi.

Before I could run, a pair of strong arms held me up on both sides. It hurt like hell. “Hey, watch the merchandise, pal!” Before I could give whoever was holding me hostage a piece of my mind, I suddenly went blind. I screamed.

“Maggie, I told you to stay in the car!” That was Alice, but where was she?

“Alice! Where’s Bella?!”

“I’m right here, Maggie.” 

“Bella, help me. Please...I’m frightened.” Oh boy, here come the waterworks. My head fell, my chin resting on my chest as I felt the tears fall. Then I heard something I thought I would never hear.

“Felix, Alec, Demetri...That’s enough.” It was that melodious voice I’ve been hearing in my dreams. I felt myself sinking down to the ground gently. Choking on my sobs, I felt someone pull me into their arms. Hesitantly, I reached up to feel who it was. Recognizing the soft, long hair, I clung harder than ever to my sister.

“Hey, it’s alright. I’m here.” Bella helped me up, not letting me go. We hugged for a moment before an oh so familiar voice broke me out of my reverie.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” I gasped, immediately recognizing that voice. That oh so delicious voice that belonged to that handsome man in my dreams. But there’s no way he could be real. Could he? I slowly let go of Bella, and turned to the source of the voice. Once I set my eyes on him, something inside me set off a jolt, awaking something that I was unconsciously aware of. It was him. He was real. And he was more handsome in person. Then I realized something. This must be Aro, one of the Volturi kings. Oh crap. What was even worse was that I found myself extremely attracted to him, and I don’t know why. I tried to back away, but it felt like some invisible magnet pulling me forward. He must’ve sensed it too, because he was slowly making his way towards me like I was walking towards him.

We finally stood face to face, and I felt incredibly small compared to his tall stature. I could feel his eyes taking in my form, and blushed slightly as I looked away. “It’s so lovely to see you in person, Margaret. I’ve been waiting a long time for you.” What the fuck does that even mean? And how the hell did he know my name. 

I could barely raise my voice above a whisper. “It’s Maggie.” He just chuckled.

“But Margaret is far more fitting for a lovely young woman as yourself.” I shivered as he brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear, causing me to blush deeper. He looked at me for a moment before turning his attention to Edward and Bella. “You see, Edward? What did I tell you? Aren’t you glad that I didn’t give you what you wanted yesterday?” I noticed that Edward had gone visibly tense. His bullshit meter was going off the rails. 

“Yes, Aro, I am.” A moment of silence fell as Aro took in Bella. Dude, you’re kinda being a creep right now. Back off.

“La tua cantante. Her blood appeals to you so much. How can you stand being so close to her?” 

“It’s not without difficulty.” Aro chuckled.

“Yes, I can see that. It makes me thirsty. But not as thirsty as her sister’s.” I visibly gulped as his gaze fell upon me once again. Dude was really scaring me now. Last time I checked, blood smells metallic. How the fuck does my blood have a stronger appeal to him than Bella’s? Surely all human blood is the same. “Now, let us have the story.” Aro grabbed Edward’s hand and fondled it like he was fondling...something else. I turned scarlet at the thought of him touching himself, even more so at the thought of him touching himself when thinking about me. At this rate, I’m going to die from a nosebleed.

“Aro can read every thought I ever had. By one touch. And now you know everything. So just get on with it.” Now my face was as red as a tomato. If he touched even an inch of my skin, he would know all my fantasies, thoughts, feelings, past events. I made a note to not let him get too close.

“You’re quite the soul reader yourself, Edward. Though...you can’t read Bella’s thoughts. Fascinating!” He started backing away slowly, not taking his eyes off Bella. It was like I wasn’t even in the room anymore. “I would love to see, if you’re an exception to my gifts as well.” He held out his hand towards Bella. “Would you do me the honor?” Oh, fuck me. I think my panties just got wet a little, and it wasn’t from my pregnancy. I shivered at his baritone voice. He must’ve noticed, because his eyes flickered over to me, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Bella hesitantly stepped forward and took Aro’s hand. He bowed his head, attempting to concentrate. But then he raised his head, looking quite shocked. “Interesting. I see nothing.” He let go of Bella’s hand, slowly turning away, looking like he was in deep thought. “I wonder...Let us see if she’s immune to all our powers. Shall we Jane?” Oh shit, this can’t be good. The petite blonde turned her head towards Bella, an evil smile plastered on her face. That’s when I decided to step in before I lost my nerve.

“Bella, no!” I stepped in front of my sister, only to feel like I was set on fire. My whole body writhed in pain. And in that brief second before Edward stood in front of me, I caught Aro’s eye. For this first time since I met him, I saw fear in his eyes. I collapsed on the floor, Bella quickly kneeling down to my side.

“What did you do to her?! She’s pregnant!” Oh yeah, I forgot. One of my hands shakingly made its way to my growing bump, clutching at it. Aro watched me with an intense gaze as I struggled to get up. Bella then noticed Edward, who was also writhing in pain. “Stop! Stop! Just stop hurting him, please!” Aro gave Jane a knowing look, and Edward ceased his seizures.

“Master?”

“Go ahead, my dear.” I struggled to get up, only managing to sit up before wincing in pain. One arm supported me as the other reached out for Bella. However, Bella didn’t collapse like Edward and I. Aro gave this maniac-like chuckle that scared the shit out of me. I ended up collapsing on the cool, marble floor. Although the pain was gone, I still seized a bit, clutching my stomach. “She confounds us all! So...what do we do with you now?” Aro’s eyes flickered between Bella and I as she helped me get up on my feet, which was a struggle. But I made it. 

“You already know what you’re going to do, Aro.” I glanced at the ancient vampire on the left, who looked bored as hell.

“She knows too much. She’s a liability.” My eyes narrowed at the blonde at the right. Something tells me he’s a major asshole. Aro sighed, his shoulders heaving up before going down.

“That’s true.” I held onto Bella tightly as we faced our fate. I looked at him, and I could see his stance falter a little when he saw my expression. “Felix.” My head turned towards the back, where a larger vampire looked ready to kill. He came walking towards us, and I prepared myself to die.

“Bella, I love you.” It was barely audible, but I’m sure Aro heard it, judging by the twitch in his face. 

“No!” Edward somehow managed to recover, and flipped both Bella and I upside down, making us face the three ancient vampires. I suddenly felt queasy. I nearly collapsed due to the immediate vertigo I just experienced. Aro’s face was hard to read as I managed to land on my knees, clutching Bella’s legs. Bella and I watched as Edward and Felix battled it out. Alice tried to help, but she was detained by another vampire. Somehow, Felix managed to launch Edward ten feet into the air before slamming him down on the floor, making the marble crack. Both Bella and I gasped in horror.

Edward laid comatose as Felix raised and turned towards us. A rush of adrenaline hit me as I managed to stand back up. “Bella, no!” I shoved her out of the way. Luckily, Edward was able to recover, and came at Felix’s side like a bullet. But it threw me up in the air a bit, and I crash landed, hitting my head hard. 

“Maggie!” I tried to get up, but it was all in vain. My head hurt like hell, preventing me from getting up. My vision blurred as I watched the two vampires slamming each other around, damaging precious architecture. I turned my head and looked at Aro, and caught a glimpse of anger on his face. My gaze turned back to the fight, where Felix slid Edward under a bench before punching it, narrowly missing Edward’s head. He raised Edward up in the air, holding him by the neck. The two managed to whip around in a blur, which made it hard to see what was going on. While Edward tried to get out of Felix’s grip, it was impossible. Felix was too strong. He ended up flipping Edward upside down, causing him to go crashing onto the stairs that led to the dais. I was certain they were going to kill him, because it looked like Felix was going to rip his head off.

“No, please! Please! Kill me! Kill me! Not him.” My eyes widened.

“Bella, are you fucking crazy?!” Somehow I managed to raise my voice, and Aro looked at me before returning his gaze to Bella. He slowly made his way down the dais and towards Bella. 

“How extraordinary. You would give up your life, for someone like us. A vampire. A soulless monster.”

“Get away from her!” My eyes darted between Edward, Bella, and Aro. Bella, who seemed to become more defiant after watching Edward get his ass handed to him, offered the strangest rebuttal I ever heard.

“You don’t know nothing about his soul.” Oh crap, now she’s done it. 

“Bella, for the love of god, shut up!” I managed to scold her before wincing. Aro smiled at her before muttering something in Italian that I couldn’t make out. He looked back and forth between Bella and Edward, before switching back to English.

“This is a sadness. If only it would be your intention to give her immortality.” He looked at Bella, almost like she was a snack. That’s when I realized what he was about to do. Before I could protest, Alice spoke up.  
“Wait! Bella will be one of us! I’ve seen it. I’ll change her myself.” Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Edward glare at his sister. It feels like he doesn’t want Bella to become a vampire. Aro offered his hand towards Alice, who broke free of the vampire’s grip and gave it to him. Aro’s face went into a deep focus, as if he were dreaming. “Mesmerizing. To see what you have seen, before it happens.” He turned towards Bella hungrily. “Your gifts will make you for an intriguing newborn. Isabella.” When Aro touched her face, something strange came over me, and I became angry. Almost if I were jealous. Wait, what? 

Aro must’ve felt my reaction because he looked at me before quickly taking his hand away from her face. He slowly backed away as Bella helped me get on to my feet. Suddenly, everyone’s gaze fell on me. And I felt a certain blonde give me a death glare. “What about that one then, Aro? Clearly she’s much of a liability as her sister.” I returned his glare, not faulting. Aro looked at me, with some sort of dreamy look on his face.

“I think, Caius, that we don’t have to worry about this one. She seems to be a carefully guarded young human. So very trustworthy…And honest. Almost as if she’s too pure...” He made his way closer to me, and I panicked. All hell would break loose when he touched me. I broke myself free from Bella and tried to back away, but that only made him come closer. Stupid invisible magnet. My eyes fluttered shut as he let his hand rest on the side of my face. As he read my thoughts, I tried looking away, but he kept my face steady. The range of emotions I saw on his face was unreal. I saw intrigue, humor, sadness, and mostly anger. “I think…”he said to me as both hands cupped my face. “I shall be seeing you quite soon my dear.”

His eyes lingered on my lips for a moment, contemplating what to do, before he broke away. “Go now. Make your preparations,” he signaled Felix to release Edward.

“Let us be done with this, Aro,” the ancient vampire said. “Heidi will arrive any moment. Thank you, for your visit.” I suddenly felt weak, and almost collapsed on the floor. Aro somehow managed to catch me (Plz recall the scene where Edward saves Bella from the van. Do it. Right now!). We both shared a look before he released me, and I scampered over to Edward, Bella, and Alice. Both vampires supported both sides of me. As we turned to leave.

“To return the favor, I would advise that you follow through on your promise soon. We do not offer second chances!” The angry blonde cast his eyes towards me, looking suspicious.

“Goodbye, my young friends.” As Alice and Edward helped carry me out of the room, I turned to look back at Aro, who only stared at me, quite longingly. As we walked through the darkened corridor, I saw the woman in red, Heidi, leading a group of innocent tourists, including some children. My stomach churned. No,no,no,no! Not the little ones. I muffled a cry as I heard screams of terror coming from the throne room. Alice could only look at me sympathetically as we were led back into the outside world.

ARO POV

After our meal, Marcus, Caius and I sat in our thrones as the rest of the guard cleaned up the remains of the tourists. My thoughts went back to Isabella’s sister, my mate. My Margaret. I began to process what I’ve seen in her thoughts, which were not pretty. It was hard for me to control my anger with my brothers present. But I couldn’t help it. After I’ve seen young Margaret being beaten, raped, and emotionally abused by that former suitor of hers, I felt the need to break every single law I put in place to hunt him down and end his miserable life. Then I thought of the child she was carrying. The poor, innocent babe that young Margaret will have to raise alone. But then I wondered, what it would be like for her to raise the child here? Clearly, all her needs would be taken care of and she would not be living in fear. Plus, I’ve always entertained the thought about having a child myself, but since becoming immortal I abandoned that thought.

I saw Margaret’s life flash before my eyes. From her being born to seeing her in her adolescent days. I was slightly annoyed when I saw visions of her with this one suitor, the one before that mongrel. I could see how in love she was with this boy, and how she still harbored feelings for him. This made me sad. I was her one true mate, and the thought of her being in love with another man was quite painful. But then again, she didn’t know that she belonged to me, and in time she will. I brightened up at this thought, trying to imagine what she would be like as a newborn.

Clearly, she had all sorts of ideas about our kind. I had to chuckle when I saw those visions of her dressed up as a vampire, and how she begged for a coffin to be placed in her room. Such a naive young woman. Soon she shall know better. Although, I did find myself a little turned on when I saw how risque she became when she entered her late adolescence.

What concerned me the most were the thoughts she had right before she left. I had frightened her. And so did the others. When I saw her get hurt during that fight between Felix and the Cullen boy, I almost lost my nerve. As a mate, I must protect her at all costs. Including the little one inside her. I had to chuckle a bit when I read her opinion on Caius. It would seem that he might have met his match with her.

But Jane was an entirely different scenario. When I saw young Margaret take the fall for her sister, I wanted to cry out. Seeing my own mate suffer at the hands of her own coven was disgraceful, even though young Jane had not intended for Margaret to be the victim.

What I did find most surprising was all the dreams that she had. I had always appeared in them, and even though we never crossed paths until now, she imagined me perfectly. I would have to ask Marcus about this phenomenon. It also surprised me how physically attracted she was to me. When I read her thoughts about me pleasuring myself to her made it excruciating to sit in my throne. I had to stop myself from going after her.

I was broken from my thoughts by an annoyed Caius.

“Honestly Aro. I don’t understand how you can let the Cullen’s get away with their empty promises. That girl is a liability. Especially now that she revealed our existence to her sister.”

“It was not Isabella’s fault that our existence was revealed to her sister. A rogue vampire revealed himself to her when she was walking through woods with her sister. I’ve read her thoughts brother.” It was true. The majority of the fault laid on a nomadic vampire, who seemed to be doing a favor for another nomadic vampire. I’ve seen how my mate was almost killed that day, and I became filled with rage. If I ever come across that sorry excuse for a vampire…

“But surely you can’t let her sister walk around free. She knows too much. She needs to be punished!” My jaw tightened. Caius was going a bit overboard here.

“No Caius, she will not be punished. I trust her completely.” 

“How could you be so foolish brother? Surely humans can’t be trusted?” My experience with humans over the many millennia I have been alive has proven this to be true. Humans are greedy creatures who seek nothing but destruction, wanting to purge the world of any impurities, such as our kind. And with their modern technology, this could easily be done. But Margaret was different. I could see that she was a pure soul, who had been mistreated very much throughout her life, not only by that mongrel of a suitor but by other peers as well. Her adolescence years were hard to watch.

“You may be right about humans Caius, but Margaret is different. I trust her completely because she is my mate.” This shocked Caius into silence, and for once, I was grateful for it. I strode up from my throne, and exited the room without a single glance back. Once in my office, I slumped against the door, feeling the need to sob. While vampires can’t technically cry real tears like humans, the feeling was still there. My mate has gone so much in her short life, and I made a vow to take care of her for all eternity.

Once my emotions were in check, I sat down and composed a letter to Carlisle.  
Carlisle,  
I’m sure Alice has already told you of the events that conspired here in Volterra, regarding your son Edward and his mate Isabella and her sister. Recently, I’ve discovered that young Isabella’s sister is my mate, and that she is in a precarious predicament. I’ve read her thoughts. She’s living in constant fear for her child and herself over an abusive suitor she had recently left. I’m asking you, Carlisle, as a friend and your leader, that you and your coven keep a watchful eye on young Margaret, while she still lives her human life. I have yet to decide when I will claim her as my own, but for now, keep her in your circle. This favor should not be taken lightly, and the repercussions for failing this task are left to be desired. I will be sending Demetri to keep a watchful eye on her. Please send me regular reports on how young Margaret is doing until I come and collect her.

Regards,  
Aro


	13. Where Do I Go From Here?

The whole plane ride back to Washington was exhausting.. My whole body was shaking as I tried to process how in the hell I survived going into a pit of vampires. Alice sat beside and rubbed my back as Bella cuddled up against Edward across the aisle. I narrowed my eyes at them. I can’t believe after all he did to her, Bella decided to go back to him. Bella, why must you always be this stupid?

I knew Edward could read my thoughts, but I didn’t care. He needed to know exactly what he had done to my sister. Every time his eyes flickered over to Alice and I, I looked away. I didn’t want to deal with his bullshit right now. All I could think of now was my baby. After experiencing Jane’s power first hand, I honestly didn’t think my baby would make it. While Alice could see what sex my baby was, she couldn’t see if my baby would make it. After all, there’s no telling how my pregnancy would go. And since I was just going into my 4th month, I figured I was before 20 weeks. So it was still a possibility I could lose the baby. And after surviving such a supernatural power, something inside me led me to believe I was going to lose the baby.

I started to cry a little at the thought alone. This baby was my saving grace. Everything I did was because of this baby. They were the reason that I got every morning. My will to live. My little miracle. Alice continued to rub my back as I felt myself shake. “Alice? Am I going to be ok?” I was barely audible. But I knew Alice could hear me since her senses were enhanced.

“Don’t worry, Maggie. I talked to Carlisle earlier and explained what happened. He’s going to meet us at the airport.” I nodded, trying to remember who Carlisle was. I think I remember dad telling me about him a couple times. I tried fighting my exhaustion, but I failed miserably. I succumbed to sleep. Thankfully, it was a dreamless sleep

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alice woke me up when we started to descend into Sea-Tac airport. Thank fuck we were finally back in Washington! I sat up straight, stretching my arms above my head. I was thankful that I still had my coat, because I could already feel the cold air of Washington shake me to the core. As we stood up to deboard the plane, I suddenly felt myself wanting to collapse. I clutched my head as Alice caught me before I could fall back into the seat. My headache subsided for the most part, but it still felt like a dull ache. I was expecting more from being slammed down into a marble floor.

I leaned on Alice as we walked through the ramp and into the terminal. I looked around, taking in the crowds of rushing people, trying to catch their next flight. But there was a group of people that stood out from the rest of the others in the terminal. Suddenly, Alice left my side and bounded for them, stopping at the guy with extremely curly hair. These must be the Cullens. I watched as Alice stood by the one with curly hair, not embracing him like other people would do. He must be her mate. 

The two other vampires slowly approached us. One was a woman with soft, caramel-colored hair and a heart-shaped face. She reminded me of an actress straight out of the silent movie era. I tried to think of her name, but remembering what Bella told me was lost on me. The other was perhaps one of the most attractive men I’ve ever seen. He looked so young. And so blond. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a guy that blond before.

They approached Edward and Bella first, thanking my sister for saving Edward. Ah. These must be his adoptive parents. The woman with brown hair turned to Edward and glared at him.

“You will never put me through that again,” she nearly growled. I looked on with wide eyes. Even though I didn’t know her, I sensed that she was never the one to get angry.

“Yes, mom,” Edward replied, sounding repented. Then his mother turned to look at me and smiled.

“You must be Bella’s sister. I’m Esme, Edward’s mother,” she said as she pulled me into a hug. Damn, this woman was affectionate. But I wasn’t complaining. It felt nice to be hugged by people who weren’t related to you.

“Yeah. Name’s Maggie.”

“You were so brave to go after Bella and Edward. I can’t thank you enough for saving them.” Uh, I really went to Italy to save Bella, but your welcome anyways. I mean, if it were up to me, I would’ve left Edward back in Italy. She pulled apart from me, looking at me with so much concern, it almost scared me. “Alice told us what happened in Volterra. Are you ok?” Ok, now she was starting to freak me out with her motherly concern. But I can understand. Something tells me she would’ve made an excellent mother if she was still human.

I chuckled nervously, scratching the back of my head. “Well, despite being forced to have a seizure and being slammed onto a marble floor, I’m just peachy.” Before Esme could speak, the man next to her turned to me.

“Maggie, it’s nice to see you again.” I shook his hand, looking confused

“Uh, no offense, but have we met before.” The man laughed lightly.

“No, I don’t suppose you would remember. I’m Dr. Cullen. I believe I saw you for a few visits when you came home from school to visit Charlie.” Wait, wait, wait. This was THE Carlisle Cullen dad always talked about? Now that I think about it, I did remember, although quite vaguely, that I would see him when I came home during school breaks, since dad’s insurance would only let me go to the hospital in Forks.

“Pardon me for not remembering you, Dr. Cullen. But I still have a pretty bad headache,” I said while rubbing my head.

“From what Alice told me, I think I’m going to check you out before we take you home.” I nodded as we walked out of the airport. As we headed towards a black sedan, I saw two more vampires waiting for us. One was a burly looking guy with dark curly hair. But not as curly as the guy that Alice was walking with. He looked quite intimidating. Beside him was one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever seen. Her hair was like spun gold, and she looked like she had the body for a swimsuit magazine. These must be Edward’s other siblings. I saw Edward visibly stiffen out of the corner of my eye.

“Don’t. She feels awful,” I heard Esme scold him.

“She should.” Wow, way to stay inconspicuous Edward, I thought sarcastically.

“It’s not her fault,” I heard Bella whisper.

“Please, just let her make amends. Maggie will ride with us.” I followed Esme and Carlisle to another car where Alice and her mate were waiting for us. I gently slid into the back, followed by Esme and Carlisle. No one said a word as we drove from Seattle to Forks. Alice’s mate, however, kept looking back at me, looking half suspicious, half concerned. Alice must’ve noticed this because she placed a hand on his arm.

“It’s ok, Jasper. You won’t hurt her.” I visibly stiffened. Bella told me Jasper was one of the newest vampires to join the family, even though he was probably transformed sometime in the 1800s. I looked nervously at Jasper. Bella told me what happened at her party Alice threw for her. I felt Esme put a comforting arm around my shoulder.

“It’s alright, dear,” she whispered. I just nodded and looked out the window. Of course it was raining. When is it never raining?! It felt like an eternity before we pulled up to the Cullen’s place. I was shocked. I have never seen a more beautiful house. It was very rectangular in shape, with many large, glass windows. It had a deep porch that looked like it wrapped around the house. As I got out of the car, I was surprised that Bella was here. I would’ve thought she would’ve wanted to go straight home. But then I remembered the impending doom that would follow dad’s anger. Now I understand why she came here with us.

I walked over to Bella and hugged her. “Hey. What are you doing here? I thought you would’ve gone home by now?”

“I wanted to come with you to see how you and the baby were. Plus, I’m kind of scared of dad right now.” I just laughed before becoming serious again.

“Yeah. Something tells me he isn’t one happy camper right now.” Bella nodded as Edward’s sister with the blonde hair came up to us. She looked me up and down, and I suddenly felt self conscious. I looked like a potato compared to her.

“So...You’re Bella’s sister.” It was more of a statement than a question, and I just nodded.

“Yeah.” She stared at me again, making me feel uncomfortable. Just like how Aro stared at me. Just the thought of him made me shudder. I shuddered more when I remembered him saying that he would see me real soon. I wonder what he meant by that? The blonde girl noticed me shivering.

“You should probably go inside. You don’t want to get sick with the baby.” Her face looked strange, like it was a mixture of sadness and contempt. I just nodded at her before I followed the rest of the Cullens into the house, with Bella following behind. The house was even more stunning on the side.

“You have a very lovely home, Mrs. Cullen.” The woman in question laughed.

“Thank you, Maggie. But please, call me Esme.” I nodded before Carlisle indicated for me to follow him. I did what I was told, pausing for a moment to look at a giant picture frame filled with graduation caps. Um, ok? When we arrived at Carlisle’s office, an examination table was already set up, with an ultrasound machine next to it. Dude, I know he’s a doctor, but how the hell did he manage to obtain all this?!

I gently lifted myself up onto the table, with some help from Carlisle. “Now, let’s see what we got here.” I winced a little as I felt him poke and prodded me, looking for any significant injury. I felt him softly touch my head, causing me to wince, which he noticed. “Still hurt?”

“Well yeah. I mean, I’d like to see you walk away from being slammed onto a marble floor unharmed.” Carlisle chuckled a bit.

“Do you feel any dizziness at all?” I nodded.

“Yeah. And I feel like I can’t walk that well. It’s like I always feel like falling again.”

“Do you remember what happened at all?” I slowly drew a blank as I scrunched up my face scrunched up.

“The only thing I remember was being tossed up in the air. Edward and Felix were going at it too fast and I must’ve been in the way. And then I felt my eyes get blurry a bit.” Carlisle nodded, but didn’t say anything as he continued to probe my head.

“Well, it sounds like you might have a bit of a concussion. Which isn’t surprising. Marble is really a tough surface. You’re just going to have to take it easy for a few days.” I groaned. That means I would have to miss work.

“Can I at least still go to work?” 

“If you weren’t pregnant then I would see no harm in it. But you’re a little fragile at the moment, and I wouldn’t want you to risk it. I’ll give you a doctor’s note if you’d like.” I nodded.

“Does that mean my baby will be ok?”

“Well, let’s take a look.” I slowly laid back on the table as he prepared the machine. I tried to keep a straight poker face as he lifted up my dress, revealing my growing baby bump. I felt self conscious. Even though Carlisle was only doing his job, it still reminded me how rough Marcus would be with me. I blinked rapidly so no tears would escape. “You ok?” Shit. Carlisle must’ve noticed. I nodded.

“Yeah.” He didn’t say anything as he squirted that god awful jelly onto my stomach. Pressing the probe down onto my stomach, he began rubbing to find the baby. After a few minutes of not hearing a heartbeat, I started to panic. Did I lose my baby? I felt my eyes sting again as tears were on the verge of falling. Oh please, let there be a heartbeat. Please! I can’t lose this baby. Carlisle looked concerned as well. I started assuming the worst until I heard a faint thumping noise. Finally risking a glance at the monitor, I nearly cried out. Carlisle did manage to find the baby. “Is...Is my baby going to be alright, Dr. Cullen?” He didn’t answer right away as he continued to look puzzled. 

“I don’t understand. The amount of power you were exposed to should’ve made you miscarry.” WHAT?!

“Then how is it possible-” Carlisle shook his head.

“I don’t know. But I think I’ll have to do a few more tests. But even then, we won’t know for sure how Jane’s power affected your baby until after it’s born.” I nodded as he stopped the probe. I slowly sat up as he handed me a towel to wipe the goop off my belly. Once I cleaned myself, I didn’t get down from the table right away. Carlisle noticed my hesitance and sat down next to me. “Are you sure there isn’t anything bothering you, Maggie?”

I took a deep breath, debating whether or not to tell him. “Do you think Volturi will kill me, Dr. Cullen?”

“Please, Maggie, call me Carlisle. In regards to your question, if they let you walk free today, I don’t think there will be a possibility in the future. After what Alice told me, I don’t think Aro would even consider laying a finger on you.” This caught my attention. What did Alice know that I didn’t?

“Carlisle...What does Alice know?” He looked at me, unsure if he should tell me. When he wouldn’t look at me, I decided to push further. “Carlisle, please just tell me. There’s nothing that I don’t know. After Bella and I almost got killed by Laurent, I kinda forced her to tell me about your kind.” Carlisle looked up sharply.

“Did you say Laurent?” I nodded. He let out a sigh before getting up and pacing the floor, his face unreadable. 

“Yeah. He said he was doing it as a favor to someone named Victoria. Now tell me, what does Alice know?” He still wouldn’t answer me as he continued to pace back and forth. 

“I think we should get you home now. Charlie’s already worried enough as it is.” Before I could protest, he left me alone in the office to get straightened up. Damn him! I sighed before I hopped off the examination table. I found everyone sitting in the living room, talking almost in a whisper. Except Bella, who was looking staring out the window. When she saw me, she ran over and gave me a hug.

“Hey, is everything alright?” When she asked this, everyone turned to look at me.

“Yeah. Just have a mild concussion. No broken bones, shockingly.”

“But what about the baby? Is it alright?” This caught the blonde girl’s attention. While really didn’t seem interested in me when I first arrived, she sure was now. She was staring at me. Why the fuck do people keep staring at me?! 

“So far, so good. We found a heartbeat, so obviously they’re still baking. But we don’t know exactly how all this shit affected the baby until after they’re born.” Bella nodded, looking relieved. She then turned to look at Alice.

“But couldn’t Alice see what’s going to happen? I mean, she had that vision about Edward.”

“I can’t see it because pregnancy is so complicated. There’s no guarantee that a baby will make it to term.” Everyone looked uncomfortable, especially Esme and the blonde girl. 

“I think we better get home, Bells. Before dad really loses it and calls the FBI.” Both of us laughed. Knowing dad, he probably would call the FBI. As Bella and I prepared to leave with Edward, Emse came up to us to say goodbye.

“It was nice meeting you, Maggie. Come over any time. We’d love to have you.” Wow, that’s really nice. Definitely mom material right there. As we hugged, the blonde girl came over, she said something that surprised me.

“Especially when you have your baby. I would love to babysit for you.” 

“Oh, thanks…” I couldn’t place her name, even though Bella mentioned it a while back.

“It’s Rosalie. And that’s my mate, Emmett,” she pointed over to the burly looking kid on the couch, who waved enthusiastically at me. I waved back, laughing slightly. I said my goodbyes to the rest of the Cullens before following Edward and Bella out the door, and climbed into an unfamiliar car. It certainly wasn’t the same one Alice drove us in the last time.

No one said a word as we drove back home. As we got closer, I could sense Bella was going to have a panic attack. I didn't blame her. Facing dad was like stepping into a lion’s den. We finally pulled up to the white, two story house, whose lights were still on. Oh boy, here we go. I stepped out of the car as Edward helps Bella. Within moments, I heard the front door open. I prepared myself for the worst.

“Bella! Maggie!” Shit, he sounded so mad. Fucking hell. 

I waved slightly. “Hey dad.”

“Charlie,” I heard Bella mumble as dad walked towards us.

“Shh, it’s ok. You’re home and safe.”

“I can’t believe you have the nerve to show your face around here!” Damn, dad has no chill.

“Stop it dad,” I heard Bella groan. But he didn’t hear her apparently.

“What’s wrong with her?!”

“She’s just very tired Charlie. Please, just let her rest.

“Don’t tell me what to do! Give her to me! Get your hands off her!” Geeze dad! Calm down before you wake the neighborhood. Edward did what he was told, or attempted to at least. Bella wouldn’t let go of him.

“Cut it out, dad. Be mad at me.”

“You bet I will be.” Then he looked at me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. “You. Take your sister inside.” Not wanting to anger him even farther, I took Bella by the hand and led her inside. 

Once inside, Bella and I went up to her room. We didn’t talk, but just sat next to each other in silent comfort. We could hear the terse conversation dad was having with Edward. When I heard a car start and drive away, that’s when I knew we were in trouble. Bella sensed that too as she grabbed ahold of my hand. When dad came up, he just stood in the doorway and looked at us for what seemed like forever. “Do you girls know how much you scared me?” Wait, what? Why am I in trouble? 

“Dad, you don’t have to worry.”

“Bella, last time you said that you took off, and I didn’t see you for three days.”

“I’m really sorry, dad.”

“Bella, do not ever do that to me again.” He looked at me. “As for you, Margaret Rose, how could you even think of pulling a stunt like that? Running off to another country when you damn well know you’re pregnant?” Crap, my eyes were starting to sting. Damn these hormones.

“But dad, I was only going to stop Bella from going in the first place. I even told Jake to tell you that I was!”

“Watch that tone, young lady. And it still doesn’t excuse you for endangering your child’s life.” I looked away, feeling sheepish. He did have a point. I could’ve been killed and I almost lost my baby. Damn. I feel bad for hurting my dad, but not for rescuing Bella. “You two are grounded, for the rest of your lives.” I leapt up from the bed, looking outraged.

“Hey, why am I getting punished?! I told you I was going to save Bella. And I’m 23 years old, for crying out loud!”

“You’re living under my house, so I get to set the rules. Now, get up to your room.”

“But dad-”

“Now, Margaret.” I looked between him and Bella for a moment, pouting, before slowly making my way out of the room and up the ladder. For the first time since my adolescence, I shut the ladder before collapsing on my bed, too tired to undress myself.

CARLISLE POV

After Maggie left, I felt it was appropriate to hold a family meeting after what she told me Laurent tried to kill her and Bella. We sat together in the living room, with Esme by my side, Edward by the piano, Alice and Jasper sitting next to Rose and Emmett on the sofa.

“So, what’s this all about?” I looked at Emmet.

“I’ve called you all together because I felt like this was important. As you all know, Victoria is still on the loose, trying to come after Bella.”

“This isn’t anything new. We know this already.” I turned to Rosalie.

“Yes, but since Alice revealed something to me about Bella’s sister, Maggie. And I’m concerned about the consequences if Victoria goes after her.”

“What consequences?” 

“The consequences we’d face from the the Volturi.” Everyone but Alice stared at me, looking confused. Esme placed a hand on my arm.

“Carlisle, what do the Volturi possibly have to do with all this?” I took my wife’s hand, squeezing it gently.

“If we let Victoria harm Maggie in anyway, Aro will be extremely displeased. According to Alice, Maggie is Aro’s mate.” Esme gasped, and I squeezed her hand again. Besides Alice, everyone else was trying to process this information. What surprised me the most was Rosalie’s reaction, who looked extremely pained.

“But she’s going to have a baby! There’s no possible way we can let her become one of us!” She did have a point. Maggie’s situation was extremely precarious. However, her mortality was a decision for her and Aro to make.

“I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do about it, Rose. Since Aro already knows Maggie is his mate, he will stop at nothing to make her immortal. However, he will not harm the child she’s carrying.”

“But how do you know? The Volturi don’t care who they slaughter! And putting an innocent baby in a place filled with vampires is a recipe for disaster!”

“Carlisle, what do you suggest about Victoria?” I turned to Edward, who wanted to get back on track. I didn’t blame him. His mate’s life was in danger as well.

“I think it would be appropriate for all of us to keep an eye on Maggie. When she’s not over here, one of us will have to follow her whenever she leaves her house.”

“Another protection detail?”

“Rose!”

“Please. I can’t stress the importance of this enough. Not only do we have to worry about Victoria, but Aro wrote me a letter that revealed that Maggie has an abusive ex-boyfriend living in the Seattle area. Until these situations are resolved, we all have a responsibility to watch over Maggie. If anything becomes worse, we might have to keep her over here or send her to Volterra so the Volturi can keep an eye on her.” Rosalie glared at me, but I disregarded it. As Aro’s old friend, I had to do what was best. And helping protect his mate would help me pay him back for his hospitality during the decades I stayed with the Volturi. 

After the meeting, I went back into my study to write a letter to Aro. After Maggie left, a messenger from the Volturi showed up with a letter from Aro, which revealed the abusive ex-boyfriend from Maggie’s past. He also wanted regular reports, and I thought I’d start one right away. 

Aro,  
Per your request, I’m sending the first of many reports on Bella’s sister, Maggie. For the most part she is doing well, except from the mild concussion she received when she was in Volterra. However, the seriousness of the use of Jane’s power on her has me concerned. The strength of pain Maggie endured could have caused her to miscarry. So I’m pleading with you as a friend to make sure this never happens again. We won’t know the full repercussions from this until after the baby is born. I plan on doing some more tests on her in the meantime, to see what I can get without performing anything invasive. I also asked my family to keep an eye on Maggie wherever she goes, so the use of Demetri may not be necessary. Not only is her ex-boyfriend a problem, but there is also a nomadic vampire by the name of Victoria that is going after Bella, and I fear she might go after Maggie as well. If things get too serious, I will send Maggie to Volterra for you to keep an eye on her. Until then, I hope you are doing well.

Regards,  
C. Cullen.


	14. Trying to Get Back to Normal

Dad eventually gave up on his whole, “you’re grounded for the rest of your life” thing. I mean, it took him a few days, but he eventually caved in after he realized I was only trying to be a big sister by protecting Bella. Speaking of Bella, dad even eased up on her a little. Edward was finally able to come visit, but only between seven until nine thirty, and under dad’s crabby glare. I must admit, it was amusing watching Bella squirm while sitting next to Edward on the sofa, whose face revealed nothing. I must admit, they did look cute together. And after what Jake did, I redirected my annoyance towards him.

Bella told me he outed her to Charlie about riding the motorcycles she picked up, and how Jake thought it would get her grounded by giving the bike to dad. Which made things even worse because Bella got grounded. Again. However, not once did she complain, which was probably wise. If I couldn’t see my boyfriend whenever I wanted due to being grounded, I’d be on my best behavior too.

One day, dad and I were just hanging out in the kitchen as I watched him try to make spaghetti, which was turning into an epic fail. It was quite humorous, really. Whenever dad tried his hand at cooking growing up, back when mom was still around, he would always burn the food. Then we’d either go out or order in. And that seemed like what was going to happen tonight, until Bella came downstairs. 

I waved to Bella as I was reading the newspaper. “MURDERS, DISAPPEARANCES, POSSIBLE WORK OF A SERIAL KILLER” was the main headline for today. Apparently, there’s been some attacks going on in Seattle. A shit ton of people have either gone missing or have been found murdered. Each time a new report comes in, I’m a little disappointed that Marcus wasn’t one of the victims. That doesn’t make me a bad person, right?

Anyway, Bella walked over to the stove and stared at it blankly before turning to dad. “What did I do wrong?”

“You’re supposed to take the lid off first, dad. Metal’s bad for microwaves.” Wait, is she serious right now? I turned my attention from the paper to look over at them. Dad indeed put the jar of sauce in the microwave, and I nearly died from laughter.

“Dad, how could you not know that metal is bad to put in the microwave?” Seriously though. He’s a damn cop, how could he not know? He turned to me and pointed at me jestingly.

“Hey, you know that I’m not good with cooking. You should know this. You’ve seen me burn food before.”

“Wait, what?” I laughed as Bella looked extremely confused.

“Before you were born Bells, dad always tried to do the cooking to impress mom. And he would always end up burning the food! It was hilarious!” We both laughed as dad rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, well, it wasn’t hilarious for my wallet, that’s for sure.” I went back to reading the paper as Bella stepped in for dad, making sure the noodles wouldn’t burn. I finished reading the article right as Bella served up the pasta, and dad grabbed the paper from me to read the story. Nobody said a word as we ate, enjoying our pasta. Bella gave me an extra big serving because I was always so hungry all the time. Dad joked that I was like a whale, saying that I was eating more than a ton of food a day. I would always give him the side eye and asked if he was calling me fat, which usually stopped the teasing.

After a while, dad put the paper down and looked at Bella. “Ok. You understand why you’re being punished?” Bella nodded.

“Yeah. I put you through hell.”  
“Yes, you did. You and your sister.” I glared at my dad while I continued to stuff myself, but he ignored me. “But I have other reasons for grounding you. Like, uh...I just want you to get some separation from him.” Bella rolled her eyes and sighed.

“Dad, there’s nothing you can say. Edward is in my life.”

“Yeah, I’m gathering that.” He took a swig of his beer, trying to hide his annoyance. “So, how about this? I’ll make you a deal. You’re not grounded anymore...If...You use your new found freedom to see some of your other friends too. Like Jacob. I know your sister is always going down to the Rez, you guys can always go together.” My eyes went back and forth between Bella and dad. Clearly he doesn’t know that Bella stopped talking to him! “Now his dad’s really worried about him. I remember when that was you. You needed a friend. Jake was there. Don’t you miss him at all?” 

Bella’s face scrunched up. “Yeah. Yeah, I do miss him. I miss him a lot.”

“Then why is it difficult?” Ah yes, the elephant in the room.

“With Jacob, there is a conflict.” Yeah, like him being a giant werewolf! Sometimes I wish we could tell dad this stuff so he wouldn’t be such a hardass. “A conflict about the friendship thing, I mean. Friendship doesn’t always seem like it’s enough for Jake.” Truer words have never been spoken. My eavesdropping at the movies that night confirms it. 

“Isn’t Edward up for a little healthy competition?” I rolled my eyes. Wow dad, way to keep your opinions on Edward conspicuous. 

“There’s no competition.”

“Bells, you're hurting Jake’s feelings, avoiding him like this. He’d rather be friends than just nothing.” Dad, you have no idea how wrong you are. Seriously. And it’s not like she’s the one avoiding people. Bella told me how Jake stopped answering her calls. Who's the marshmallow now, Jake?

“I’m pretty sure Jake doesn’t want to be friends at all. Where’d you get that idea anyway?” Dad looked away, kind of embarrassed. Oh my god dad, what did you do?

“The subject might have come up today with Billy…” Oh for fucks sake dad! What a bunch of biddies you two are. Bella thought the same thing.

“You and Billy gossip like old women!”

“Well, you can’t blame him though. He’s worried about Jake. Apparently he’s having a hard time right now. He’s depressed.” I snorted as I took a drink from my glass of milk. “And then you were always so happy after spending the day with Jake,” dad sighed wistfully.

“I’m happy now.” Damn Bella, calm down. I thought dad was going to tell her off about her attitude, but he just laughed. And then Bella laughed too. Hey, how come when I put up an attitude I get yelled at, but when she does it, it’s funny? Pffft, younger sisters, I tell you.

“Ok, ok. I’ll start hanging out with my other friends.”

“And Jacob.” He’s never going to let this go, is he?

“I’ll try.”

“Good. Find that balance, Bella. And, oh yeah, you’ve got some mail.” Dad pointed at the stove, not making any attempt at subtlety. Bella didn’t get up to get it, so dad lazily made his way to the sink to discard his dishes before picking up a thick envelope and throwing it at Bella. What the fuck, dad?

“Er, thanks.” I watched with curiosity as she picked up the envelope, which had the seal of University of Alaska Southeast on it. “That was quick. I guess I missed the deadline on that one, too.” Dad chuckled as Bella flipped the envelope over to open it, only to discover it was already open “It’s open.”

“Yeah. I was a bit curious.”

“I’m shocked, sheriff. That’s a federal crime.”

“Just read it, Bells.” I watched as Bella pulled out a crap ton of papers, which meant only one thing: she got in. Tears started to blur my vision. My baby sister was going to college! Before Bella could react, dad spoke again. “Congratulations. Your first acceptance letter.” 

“Thanks dad.”

“Now, we should probably talk about tuition. I already started helping your sister, but I still got some money saved up-”

“Hey, none of that. I’m not touching your retirement money. I’ve got my college fund.” Dad frowned.

“Some of these places are pretty pricey Bells. I want to help. You don’t have to go all the way to Alaska just because it’s cheaper.”

“She can always go to Seattle U, dad. It's a pretty good school.”

“No. I’m not having her go to Seattle. Not with all the killings going on. In fact, now I’m kind of glad you dropped out of there.” 

“I’ve got it covered. Besides, there’s a lot of financial aid out there. It’s easy to get loans.” Dad looked at her for a moment, wondering if he should continue the conversation or not.

“So…”

“So what?”

“Nothing. I was just wondering what Edward’s plans are for next year?”

“Oh.”

“Well?” Before Bella answered, a knock came from the front door. I had an idea who that was. I saw dad roll his eyes as Bella jumped out of her chair, or more like leaping out of her chair.

“Coming!” I swear to god I thought dad mutter go away. I gave him a side eye as Bella let Edward into the house.

“Good evening, Charlie.” Well well, look who was being a brown noser. But then again, he was born in a different time, so manners came naturally to him. Dad just grunted at him as he crossed his arms. Ok, I understand why dad wouldn’t trust Edward when we came back from Italy, but now he was being borderline creepy. He wouldn’t stop staring at the young lovers. “I’ve brought another set of applications,” Edward said as I heard Bella groan. Is she not excited about going to college? And how did he find these loophole openings?! Most of the application deadlines have come and gone already. Well, I don’t think I’ll stick around for this. While I had less hostility for Edward, I was still annoyed at him. I bid goodnight to everyone before heading back upstairs. 

Once I got upstairs, I found my phone was being blown up by text messages. There were some from Hannah, but a lot of them were from the pack, minus Jake. I rolled my eyes as I read them. What the fuck were you thinking? Jake told us what happened. You better get your ass back to the Rez before we come get you. The list goes on and on. I sighed before putting my phone down, making a mental note to go to the Rez tomorrow before changing into a pair of pajamas. Crawling into bed, I let sleep take over, slightly disappointed that my dreams were empty.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up around 11:30. Still confused about the day thanks to traveling overseas, I checked my phone. I sighed in relief as my phone said it was a Saturday. Thank god. I can just head on over to the Rez without waiting for the peanut gallery to get out of school. It was finally sunny for once. From my calculations, I guessed it was close to 60 degrees out. Alright! I was looking forward to stop wearing coats and sweatshirts. I pulled on a Harry Potter tee I got from Hot Topic and pulled on a pair of leggings. Pretty soon my jeans wouldn’t fit anymore. I’ve been lucky so far but soon I was going to have to get some maternity clothes. I went downstairs to the bathroom, where I pulled my hair back into a pony and brushed my teeth.

I ran into dad as I was heading downstairs to the first floor. “Oh, hey Maggie. Where are you going?” Oh god, not this again. Ever since Bella and I came back, dad would always ask where I was going every time I would leave the house. It was getting pretty damn annoying.

“I thought I’d hit up the Rez. The guys keep asking where I am since...You know…” Dad nodded uncomfortably. 

“Well, I’d wish Bells would go with you. But she’s so stuck on Edward lately, it’s got me worried.”

“Well, she told me Jake wasn’t returning any of her calls, so…” Dad gave me a weird look before we parted ways. Putting on my shoes, I grabbed my purse and keys before heading out the door.

I was finally happy that I could drive places with my windows down. I loved the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair. To be honest, I’m glad Bella didn’t come along because then I can sing along loudly to the songs on the radio, not giving a damn if I looked like a fool or not. When “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” came on the radio, I froze and thought of Aro. Even though we were thousands of miles apart, he was always on my mind wherever I went. And it was fucking annoying. I was fascinated and creeped out at the same time. Just thinking about how he looked at me sent shivers down my spine.

Thankfully, I reached First Beach before I could let my mind wander. I pushed Aro to the back of my mind as I saw the guys sitting around the makeshift fire pit. As I got out of the car, I heard some whooping and hollering in the background. I rolled my eyes as they came running over to me. Oh boy, here it goes.

“Maggie! What the hell is wrong with you?!” Embry picked me up and spun me around, making my head hurt.

“Dude, easy! My head still hurts from the concussion.” Embry put me down as fast as he picked me up.

“What concussion? Maggie, what the hell went down over there?!” 

“I oughta kill those blood suckers!” 

“Woah, woah, woah. Easy guys. Just chill. Let’s sit down for a sec.” They followed as I made my way to a driftwood log and sat down. They all tried to sit next to me, but there wasn’t enough room on the log, so Quil had to sit on the sand. “Ok, before you guys freak out, I can tell you that there’s nothing seriously wrong with me. It’s just a minor concussion.”

“Yeah, but how the hell did that happen?” I looked away, already sensing the anger they’ll soon be expressing.

“Well...I kinda got slammed into a marble floor”

“WHAT?!”   
“HOW THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN?!”

“Well, I had to stop Bella from getting killed by this Italian vampire mafia, and uh, we were just about to be killed by one of them when Edward and this one big dude just started going at it. I mean, it was pretty frickin wild. They were moving so fast you could hardly see them. But I must’ve been in the way and I accidently got knocked like 5 or 6 feet in the air and slammed on my back.”

“What the fuck!” 

“So is the baby alright?” This was not the part I was excited about. Once I told them what went down, it was going to be hard from stopping them going on a murderous rampage.

“I mean, yeah. But it was a miracle that I survived getting attacked by a vampire.” The atmosphere turned deadly before the shouting began.

“Those fucking leeches!” 

“Let’s go kick some vampire ass!” I covered my ears with my hands, trying to drown out Paul and Embry. Thankfully, Quil was still calm. Calm, but angry.

“What do you mean you got attacked?”

“Well, there’s this one vampire, that’s part of the guard, and her power is just...wow, I can’t even describe it. It’s like you’re having multiple seizures at once and your body is set aflame. It was not pleasant. At all. Dr. Cullen said I was lucky I didn’t miscarry.” This made Paul and Embry stop their ranting and looked at me.

“Wait, the Cullens are actually back?” I nodded.

“Yeah. They came back when they found out they were in danger. Bella’s hanging out with them a lot now that they’re back.”

“Great, that’s just what we need. More bloodsuckers to worry about.” I paused and looked at Paul.

“What do you mean, ‘more’ ?” The guys suddenly became uneasy, debating whether to tell me or not. “Come on, guys. Just tell me. There really isn’t anything that I don’t know already. What’s going on?” They still won’t look at me, those damn idiots. It took a while before Quil spoke up.

“When you were gone, there was this one vampire that kept coming and going from the area. She even crossed onto the Rez a couple of times. We had a few more kids phase, too.” My breath hitched at the mention of a female vampire.

“And just what did this vampire look like?”

“She had bright red hair, that’s all I can remember. Damn leech was running so fast.” I suddenly went cold. Victoria was here, probably looking for Bella. “You alright, Maggie?”

“Do you know what she was doing?” I was barely audible as my voice broke. The guys just shook their heads.

“Nah. All we know is that she was after something. She kept going into Forks though.” I suddenly felt nauseous, like I wanted to puke. And I think I was going to.

“Maggie, are you sure you’re alright?” I suddenly stood up, pushing Paul and Embry out of the way, nearly tripping over Quil.

“Excuse me,” I then ran down to the ocean where I collapsed on my knees and vomited. The guys came down and knelt right next to me, with Embry rubbing my back.

“Maggie, please talk to us.” I continued to dry vomit for another 30 seconds until I was finally able to calm down. Once I did I fell back onto my ass and started crying.

“Hey, hey, hey! It’s alright, Maggie.” When I didn’t stop, Embry turned to the others. “I think we should get her back to Emily’s. Sam should probably know about this.” I felt one of them pick me up, and I cuddled against their chest, still crying. They put me in the backseat, and drove to Emily’s. Once we got there, Sam was waiting for us outside.

“Sam, you’re going to need to hear this.” Sam looked back and forth between me and Paul.

“What’s the matter with Maggie? What happened to her?” 

“She got attacked by a vampire when she tried to save Bella when she ran off to Italy.” Sam suddenly looked concerned, and motioned to come into the house. I spoke in a monotone as I recounted what happened, not looking directly at anyone. I could see Sam visibly tense up at times, especially when I told my story about my encounter with Jane. Then I told them all about Victoria and how she was going after Bella and I.

“But why would she come after you guys?” I looked at Embry.

“Apparently Edward killed her mate last year when he lured Bella to some dance studio to kill her. The Cullens ran into a nomadic coven when they were playing baseball and one of them tried to track Bella down to kill her. I guess Victoria is out for revenge.” Everyone looked horrified as I told this.

“But she wouldn’t come after you, right? I mean, you had nothing to do with the Cullens killing her mate?” I just shrugged my shoulders.

“I don’t know, but I’m worried that she might. And so are the Cullens. I mean, she could use me to get close to Bella.” That’s when the uproar happened. Paul, Quil, and Embry began arguing what they should do. I could tell that Sam was getting irritated and tried more than once to interrupt them.

“Alright, that’s enough!” That made the trio stop right away. “Alright, listen. We’re going to have to double our patrols from now on. At least until this threat is removed. I’m going to call a pack meeting later. You three had better show up this time!” The peanut gallery just smirked, well, mostly it was Paul that smirked. “I mean it!” Before he left, Sam turned to me and said, “And Maggie? Please watch out for yourself. We don’t want you to land yourself back into the Volturi’s hands.” I just nodded as he walked out.

After Sam left, Emily rushed over to me and made a big fuss over me, asking if she could get me anything. I kept telling her I was fine, but she kept insisting that I eat something for the baby. I grudgingly took a muffin and ate it as I listened to the guys making plans for going after the Volturi and seeking revenge. As much as I loved these guys, they were truly idiots. There was no way they could take on the Volturi. Not with Jane and Alec. Anyway, I hung out there for a while, playing video games quite miserably against the guys, who wouldn’t stop calling me a noob. After a while, I got tired and left.

The next day, I decided to meet up with Hannah at that little Italian restaurant in Port Angeles, the one dad took Bella and I for my birthday.

“Oh my gosh, dude! How did you even survive?” I froze when she asked me how I survived. Did she know something? I hope not because then she would be on the Volturi’s hit list.

I chuckled nervously. “What do you mean, Han?”

“I mean, I don’t think I could go to Italy if I were pregnant. I mean, you missed out on a bunch of good wine. I would’ve died.” I inwardly sighed out of relief. Thank god that’s what she meant. I just shrugged.

“I mean, even if I wasn’t pregnant, I wouldn’t have any time to drink. I only went there because…” Then I froze, remembering to be careful around Hannah, who looked at me strangely as I forgot to complete the sentence.

“Yeah, why did you go there anyway? I heard you went there because your sister was acting crazy?” I looked at her strangely.

“And you know this, how?”

“Dude, don’t you know I have a little brother that goes to high school?” Wait, what? I knew she had an older brother, but a younger one? I scrunched up my face, trying to remember. It took a while but then I realized she did one.

“Oh yeah. I forgot about little Mikey. How’s he doing?” Hannah just rolled her eyes.

“Being a pain in the ass, as usual. Like all younger siblings are. But that still doesn’t explain why you went to Italy without telling me.” Shit. I was hoping she wouldn’t ask that.  
“Well, uh...I had to stop Bella from eloping with her boyfriend.” Real smooth, Maggie. Real smooth. But it was the best I could come up with. Hannah dropped her fork, wide eyed and mouth open.

“Dude, are you serious?” I nodded. 

“Yeah. Even though she’s 18, dad wouldn’t let her get married because she still lives with him. So she just took off without leaving a note or anything.”

“Wow. Your sister has no chill.” I nodded as we continued to eat in silence. “So hey, when are you due again? Because Andy’s wedding is in June and it’s in Italy.” I froze. Shit, I totally forgot about that. Please don’t let it be where I think it is.

“Shit, it is? Where is it?” Hannah scratched her head as she tried to think of the place.

“I can’t remember. Didn’t you open the invitation dude?” The invitation came in the mail this morning, but I didn’t want to open it because I was still pissed at Andy and abandoned any plans to go. But now I was curious. 

“I just got it this morning. But I didn’t open it because I originally didn’t want to go because I’m still pissed at Andy. But now, I don’t know…”

“Oh, but Maggie, you have to come! Because I don’t know if anyone else from our group is going and I don’t want to be stuck in a room with Georgiana’s snobby ass friends.” I sighed. I guess I didn’t have a choice.

“Alright, fine.” She clapped her hands happily before we went back to our food. We made small chit chat, me talking about my baby and her complaining about not finding a teaching job yet. I told her to look outside Forks, because there was no way in hell she was going to find one there. She asked me when I was going to find out the sex of my baby and I told her I wasn’t. She became outraged until I told her I was going to do a reveal at my shower at the end of July. That was good enough to make her shut up. We talked a little more before finishing our meals. We hugged before we separated and went our separate ways.

When I got home, I found myself alone. I went upstairs to open the invitation that was left ignored under my laptop. I slowly slid the orange envelope from my desk and stared at it, as if it were going to burn my skin. My fingers slowly ripped open the top and pulled out the most atrocious wedding invite I’ve ever seen. The thing was filled with too much orange and red. Being brave, I slowly let my eyes fall on the piece of parchment. Oh please don’t let it be in Volterra. Please, for the love of god don’t let it be there. I slowly scanned the invite, ignoring how my presence was requested, more like demanded, and all the other mushy stuff. That’s when I saw it. The cursed image that burned my eyes. I fainted to the ground when I saw the city of Volterra listed as the location.


	15. Disturbing Truths

“So I really don’t know what to do. I mean, this guy is one of my closest friends, and I kinda want to be there for him. But they’re having the wedding in Volterra, and that’s kinda making me not want to go. I mean, for all I know, I could still be on the Volturi’s hit list!” I was sitting in the Cullen’s living room with Esme, Rosalie, Alice, and Bella. After days of begging, I finally caved in to Rosalie and Esme’s demands that I come and visit. It felt strange, sitting in a house filled with vampires. But somehow, I felt a lot safer with the Cullens than I did in Volterra. 

“Maggie, like Carlisle said, Aro wouldn’t dare lay a finger on you. Trust me, I’ve seen it.” I regarded Alice with slight suspicion. Since Carlisle never told me what she knew, I thought I’d try to bait it out of her.

“Yeah, but why though? Like that one vampire said, I’m a liability. And he almost had Bella killed, for god’s sake! And if he was willing to kill Bella, then he’s more than willing to kill me too.” 

“Trust me, Maggie. Aro is a man of his word. If he says he won’t harm you, he means it. And his word is law, which means that even Caius can’t disobey his orders.” I sat in silence as I absorbed Alice’s words, trying to understand why I was able to walk free, instead of being killed.

“Ok, I’ll trust you. But I still feel like you’re hiding something from me, Alice.” The short pixie girl sitting across from me suddenly became uncomfortable, and she shared a glance with Esme and Rosalie, who also looked uncomfortable. “You know, if it’s about me, you can just say it. I mean, nothing really surprises me anymore.” True story. If you told me that Hogwarts was real, I would probably believe you. I stared Alice down without blinking, hoping that she would cave in. 

The three Cullen women looked at each other, quite uneasily. It was like they wanted to tell me, but they couldn’t. Before any of them could answer me, Carlisle walked in. He smiled at Bella and I and said, “Maggie, how are you feeling?” I smiled in return.

“Well, my head still hurts a little, and I have been taking it easy like you said, so I haven’t been working. And I have been putting an ice pack on instead of using actual medication.” 

“Well that’s good. I’m glad you’ve been taking this seriously.” He looked between me and his wife and daughters, looking confused. “Is something the matter?” Ha, now was my chance!

“Well, ever since you told me that Alice knew something I didn’t, I have been quite intrigued. And now Alice won’t spill the beans. Don’t you think I have a right to know?” I looked up at the good doctor, quite smugly. He, in return, looked quite nervous. Come on, dammit! 

“What exactly is this about, Maggie?”

“You, you know, nothing that big. Just curious as to why Aro let me walk free and wouldn’t dare to lay a finger on me.” Carlisle bit his lip and started pacing, determining whether he should tell me or not.

“Listen, Maggie. You have to understand, it really isn’t our place to tell you. It’s really between you and Aro.” I narrowed my eyes at him, not ready to give in without a fight. 

“Oh, cut the crap Carlisle!” My suddenly stern tone caught everyone by surprise. Even Rosalie, who I suspect is a person who doesn’t take any shit from anybody. “I mean, I think I have a right to know why I didn’t become a meal for the vampire mafia. Don’t you think? My life should be in my control. And don’t you think that a kind, compassionate doctor such as yourself, would agree with my sentiments?” I know I was being a smug asshole, but I felt it was the only way for me to get him to spill the beans.

Carlisle sighed deeply, looking at his family, as if asking for permission. I looked over to Bella, who was on red alert, deeply curious to what I was getting at.

“Carlisle, I think you should tell her. She does have a right to know, especially something as serious as this.” Thank you, Esme! Wait, what? Just how serious was this thing?

Carlisle took another sigh before sitting down next to me.

“Alright. I’ll tell you. But you must remember, this isn’t something to be taken lightly.” I looked at him warily.

“Carlisle, you’re starting to scare me.” He chuckled lightly as he squeezed my hand slightly.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to. But it is something pretty big. Something that you’ll have to think about and talk with Aro about.” I was starting to get even more suspicious.

“Carlisle, what is it?” Now he was really scaring me. He took a big sigh before looking me in the eye, concerned and sympathetic.

“Maggie, the reason Aro let you go free that day in Italy is because you’re his mate.” WHAT THE FUCK?! I stared at him in disbelief before I fell back into the couch, my mind racing. There’s no way that I-

But my thoughts were interrupted as I felt a hand touch my shoulder, causing me to almost smack Bella right in the face. “Maggie, are you ok?” I didn’t answer her. I was too busy staring off into space, trying not to freak out here. My mind went back to what Quil said about the difference between imprinting and mating. It’s basically our version of finding a soulmate, except we can actually feel the pull towards the person. Vampires are kind of the same way, except their mating is more of a romantic pull and more possessive. That would definitely explain why I found my way to the clocktower so easily back in Italy. And how Aro would always move towards me whenever I tried to get away. It was that mating pull Quil was talking about.

I really didn’t know what to do with this information. On one hand, I was extremely disturbed at the thought of being forever intertwined with a maniacal vampire that was borderline obsessive and was literally the head of the vampire mafia, who had a small army of vampires at his disposal. He had the power to snap my neck in half in one move. 

On the other hand though, I was captivated. When I first laid eyes on him, I felt something awakening in me that I couldn’t explain. Something that was longing to burst free from me like a slumbering swan. I never knew I was dying everyday waiting for him until we met.

I was literally shaken from my thoughts as Bella grabbed me by the shoulders and swayed me back and forth, a little too hard. “Hello! Earth to Maggie? Are you ok?”

“Bella, what the hell? Cut it out!” She quickly released me, and I rubbed my temples to ease the ache that suddenly appeared, thanks to her assault on me. 

“So, are you ok?”

“Well, despite the fact that I found out I’m forever tied to the vampire version of Al Capone, I’m doing just peachy,” I replied quite sarcastically. Carlisle interrupted before Bella could issue a response.

“Maggie, I know it’s a lot to take in, but-” I cut him off, glaring at him.

“A lot? Carlisle, this is a whole lot more than what you’re making it out to be. I don’t even know what to do with this information!” I got off the couch and started pacing back and forth, biting at my nails. “I mean, I’m still trying to grasp the fact that vampires and werewolves even exist for fuck’s sake!” I turned towards Bella. “And I’m having an even harder time trying to fathom why you, of all people, would want to become a vampire. I mean, seriously Bella. Why on earth would even want to?”

“She has a point, Bella,” I heard Edward say as he and his brothers came into the living room. But Bella ignored him.

“Hey, speak for yourself! You told me once how you’d always dreamed about becoming a vampire. You even tried to trick dad into bringing a coffin into your room!” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Emmett smirk.

“You really wanted to sleep in a coffin, Maggie? Badass.” Both Rosalie and I glared at him.

“Emmett, you’re not helping!” He threw his hands up in mock defense, not letting that stupid grin leave his face as I turned back to look at Bella. “That’s totally different, Bella! I was only joking around. I mean, we’re talking about living things that actually kill people!”

“Well technically we’re not actually living, Maggie.” I glared at Emmett again, silently telling him to stop helping.

“But not all vampires kill people, Maggie.” I looked sharply at my sister, trying to understand what I just heard.

“Wait, what? Did I just hear you correctly?”

“Your sister’s right, Maggie,” I turned to look at Carlisle, hoping for an explanation. Noticing my look of confusion, he did indeed offer me the explanation I was hoping for. “While it’s true that most vampires live off the diet of human blood, my family and one other coven up in Alaska are the only known covens that drink the blood of animals. Not only does it let us live among humans undetected, but we also do it out of respect for human life.” I stared at him like he grew a second head, trying to process what he said.

I slowly sat back down beside Bella and Carlisle, rubbing my eyes furiously. “Well this just keeps getting more fucked up by the second.” Seriously. I kind of get why they chose to become “vegetarians,” but what I just heard was the biggest bunch of bs I ever heard. Basically, everything I knew about vampires is a lie at this point. I mean, what a bunch of-  
“Maggie, are you alright?”

“Oh my god Bella, for the last time, yes! Quit asking me that!” I turned to look at Carlisle. “So does this mean I’m going to be forced to become a vampire now? Because the last time I checked, the Volturi were going to kill Bella if you guys didn’t turn her into one.”

“Considering that you’re Aro’s mate, he’ll probably want to turn you very soon.” WHAT?! Yeah, that’s a no for me. I love my life too much to give it all up. Call me a glutton, but there was too much good food out there that needed to be eaten. And drunk, if you know what I’m saying, wink wink. Plus, I loved living my life in the sun, relishing in its heat. Being stuck in a world of darkness, stuck in a tower or dungeon like a caged bird. Plus, the thought of killing innocent people terrified me. Perhaps I was a little crazy to think I wanted this at one point in my life. Once Carlisle saw the look of terror on my face, he interrupted before I could even protest. “But I’m sure that Aro would be willing to let you stay mortal for a little while.”

“Carlisle, this is insanity. I mean, for all I know you could be lying!”

“He’s not lying, Maggie.” I swiftly turned to look at Alice. “I’ve seen it. You’re definitely Aro’s mate. He’s waiting for you back in Volterra.” Well shit. Time to find a way out of this situation.

“Well, now I’m definitely not going to that wedding.”

“Wait, what wedding?” I turned to look at Carlisle.

“An ex-boyfriend of mine is getting married in Italy in June. And you’ll never believe what part of Italy it’s in,” I added sarcastically as I gave Carlisle a knowing look. The blonde vampire looked down at his folded hands awkwardly.

“Oh.”

“Yes, ‘oh’. If I wasn’t planning on going before I promised my friend, I’m sure as hell not going now. Dealing with a bitchy bride is bad enough. I don’t need to worry about being held captive against my will by a psychotic vampire!” I got up and threw my hands in the air, pacing back and forth.

“Maggie, for the last time, Aro isn’t going to do anything to you!” Damn, take a chill pill, Alice. I looked at her cautiously.

“Then what does he want? Because personally, I don’t fancy myself becoming some sort of pet for this guy. I mean, come on! I have a child to look out for!” I was starting to freak out a little. I already put my child in enough danger. I’m not going to risk their life even further by letting them be surrounded by a bunch of bloodthirsty vampires. The Cullens were the exception, of course. 

Alice got up and put both hands on my shoulders. “Maggie. It’s ok. From what I can see, Aro isn’t going to do anything at the wedding. He wouldn’t make a scene in front of a bunch of humans.” I looked at her suspiciously.

“Then what is he going to do?”  
“From what I can see, he’s not going to do anything. He doesn’t want to pressure you into anything.” I rolled my eyes at Alice.

“Geeze Alice, that’s really reassuring.” I got up and walked to one of the large windows and stared blankly outside, taking in the woods surrounding the Cullen home. What Alice said was far from reassuring. This had to be a lie, right? Before I could let my mind wander, I jumped slightly as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned my head slightly and saw Esme standing next to me, looking concerned.

“Dear, are you alright?” Curse her motherly nature. When she asked me that question, I felt myself choking up. No. I can’t let them see me cry. Now’s not the time to be weak. Be strong, Mags. Be strong for your baby. I blinked rapidly while shaking my head in denial.

“This has to be a lie, right? There has to be some kind of mistake,” I turned to look at Alice, almost maniacally. “Alice, please tell me this is a mistake!” The tiny pixie girl just looked at me sadly before shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, Maggie.” Somehow I managed to keep a stoic expression as I felt my world literally freeze as I tried to process my emotions. My entire life I spent wishing vampires existed, and now that existence has been confirmed, I was terrified. Especially now that I’ve caught the eye of one of the most powerful vampires in the world. I wasn’t terrified for myself. If it was just me in the picture, I’m sure I would be able to survive this mess. But I was responsible for another human life. I couldn’t risk bringing him, or her, into this mess. I already put him, or her, in danger by playing the hero and going after Bella. Was Aro going to come after me? Was he going to harm my baby? 

“Maggie?” Bella’s voice broke me out of my thoughts as I felt her come up and hug me from behind. I made eye contact with her reflection in the glass, only letting her see past my facade. It was only for a moment, but in that moment, I felt completely vulnerable. I let a single tear roll down my face before putting my mask on again.

“It’s fine, Bella.” She shook her head. Typical of her to see through my lie. I could lie to anyone else and they would believe it. But not Bella. She could always tell when I was lying. 

“But I can see that it’s not, Maggie.” It took all my strength not to break down as I made a face.

“No Bella, I’m fine. Really.” I turned to smile at her, even though it was strained. I let my eyes glance across the room, and I immediately wished I hadn’t. Esme, Rosalie, and Alice looked at me with sympathy, Emmett looked uncomfortable, and Carlisle and Edward looked concerned. And Jasper? Well, he was hard to figure out. I felt disgusted. I didn’t need anyone’s damn sympathy.

“Come on Maggie, you know that’s not true.” Oh crap, here we go. As soon Bella said that I started shaking. No. I must not let my resolve fall. Must. Resist… But I couldn’t resist. I temporarily broke with reality and started crying. Bella pulled me into a hug as I laid my head on her shoulder. “Hey, hey, hey! It’s going to be alright. I promise.” I cried harder when she said that. Damn hormones. A few moments passed before I finally calmed down. Once I did I let go of Bella and slowly turned to look out the window, determined not to let that psycho in Italy control my life, despite the fact that I find myself irrevocably attracted to him. 

“Bella? What are you doing in the middle of June?” My sister looked at me quizzically.

“Uh, graduating?” I rolled my eyes. I didn’t need her sarcasm right now.

“Ok, well, after that?”

“Nothing that I know of. Why?” I turned to look at her, my face deadpan.

“Bella, no matter what I do or what I say, do not let me go to that wedding!”

“There’s no use in asking Bella, Maggie. I can see you going to the wedding, I’m sorry.” I glared slightly at the spiky haired vampire, not believing she was sorry at all.

“Maggie, if there’s anything we can do for you-” I turned my glare at Carlisle, who flinched slightly. I stared at him for a moment before slowly walking towards him. Everyone stared at me with apprehension as I got all up in Carlisle’s face, the latter looking more uncomfortable by the minute. 

“Oh, there’s something you can do for me, alright. I’ll go to that wedding, but you tell that psychotic freak to keep away from me!” With one last glare, I turned and pushed past Esme and Bella, almost quite roughly, which I almost felt bad about. I heard Bella call after me, but I didn’t listen to me as I stormed down the stairs and slammed the front door behind me.

It was raining now, quite a contrast to the weather this morning when Bella and I came over. But I didn’t care if I was getting soaked or not as I walked down the road back towards home. My determination to live my life the way I wanted to was strong, and I wasn’t going to let some possessive vampire break me.

I didn’t get that far though, as I heard Bella’s voice cry out. “Maggie, wait!” I turned and saw Bella and Edward driving right beside me in a black Volvo. I just glared at my sister as I increased my pace.

“Leave me alone, Bella!” I almost felt bad for snarling at her, but I didn’t. I was getting sick of people hiding secrets from me.

“Maggie, please! Get in the car! You’ll get sick!” I just snorted. Like I actually gave a damn. Ok, that was a lie because it wouldn’t be good for the baby if I got sick. But since my hormones have the best of me, I wasn’t thinking that straight at the moment. I tried to walk faster, but my ever growing bump and slightly swelling ankles were preventing me from my escape. “Maggie, come on! You’re getting soaked.” I just rolled my eyes at my sister as I kept on walking.

“Maggie, wait.” I froze when I heard Edward call out for me. We both came to a stop and I slowly turned to glare at my sister’s boyfriend. “Maggie, please. Come get in the car.” We stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.

Maintaining my glare, I spoke up. “And why should I listen to you? After all, you and your family sure like keeping secrets from people!” I saw a look of regret cross his face before his expression turned back to concern.

“Maggie, it wasn’t our intention to purposely keep that from you. Believe me.” I glared at him, unsure if I should believe him or not. On one hand, I still hate him for what he did to Bella and think he’s nothing but trouble. But on the other hand, he does seem sincere in his thoughts and actions, and seems to be quite responsible when he’s not ruining my sister’s life. After noticing my hesitation, he spoke up before I could interrupt. “I promise you I’ll give you an explanation. But please, get in the car. It’s not good for the baby.” Once he mentioned my baby, I had a moment of weakness. Surely he couldn’t be all that bad then. Succumbing to my weakness, I nodded and got into the car, shivering slightly. Bella gave me her coat and I wrapped it around me, curling up in a ball.

“Maggie?”

“Just leave me alone, Bella.” Looking unsure, my sister stared at me for a moment before turning around. I caught a glimpse of Edward’s stare in the rearview mirror. We stared at each other for a moment before I looked away.

By the time we pulled up to the station, it was miraculously sunny again. Edward and Bella got out first and I slowly followed their lead. I kept myself at a distance as we walked towards the station, my hands in my pockets and my head slightly down. I almost ran right into Bella as I made my way to go into the station. I was about to ask why Bella was standing there like a frickin stature when something inside caught my attention. It was dad, but he wasn’t alone. He was talking to a man and a woman, presumingly a married couple. Uh oh, this can’t be good. Bella turned towards Edward as I continued to look inside, trying not to eavesdrop on their conversation, but it was too hard.

“I know you know what she saw. Tell me.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edward shake his head.

“It was nothing.”

“You looked...Worried.”

“Just that everyone noticed how strange Alice is.”

“I think that ship sailed long ago.” Now I was intrigued. What did Alice see? Did it have to do with those attacks in Seattle? “I wonder what’s wrong?” The man sitting across from dad handed him a picture of a young boy, most likely his son. I could only guess he went missing in Seattle. My heart broke. I looked at Edward, who I knew could read my mind, and he nodded slightly at me.

“Their son went missing in Seattle over a year ago. Charlie’s doing everything he can, but…” Woah, woah, woah. Over a year ago?! What the hell?! I didn’t know this crap started happening over a year ago. Damn, those poor parents.

“You know something about this?” I turned to look at Bella and Edward, the latter looking down, trying to avoid the question.

“We’ve been tracking the situation in Seattle for awhile. Unexplained disappearances, killings. If the situation becomes any more conspicuous, the Volturi will step in.” That caught my attention. I looked up and stared at Edward, who looked at me before looking away. Does that mean Aro will come here and kidnap me then? I looked away, nervously.

“If they go to Seattle, they can come here.” Bella turned her gazes towards me. “They can see that I’m still human and take Maggie away.”

“It won’t get that far. But we’ll go to Seattle if we have to.” Edward looked at me again before the door opened, and the parents of the missing boy stepped out of the station.

“I’ll fax these down first thing.” The man looked at my dad and gave him thanks before he and his wife headed towards their car. Once they were gone, dad turned towards us. “Hey you two.” Dad did a double glance when he looked at me. “Any reason why you’re all wet, Mags?” I just shrugged my shoulders.

“Just got caught in the rain I guess.” Dad looked up at the sky before looking at me suspiciously, but he decided to drop it. 

“Are you ready for dinner?” Dad looked between Bella and Edward.

“Yeah. It’s still just...The three of us, right?” Ha! I can see dad’s still not comfortable with Edward, much to Bella’s chagrin. Edward chuckled.

“No, I’m just dropping them off. See you later.” He kissed Bella on the cheek before walking off, but not before giving me a knowing look first. I squinted my eyes as I watched him leave. I must’ve been staring after him for a long time because I felt dad tap me on the shoulder.

“Did you want to come along, Mags? Because you might want to dry off first.” I nodded at dad.

“Yeah. Did you have something on you dad?”

“Sorry kiddo. But we can stop at home first.” And that’s just what we did. I quickly changed into some fresh clothes and blow dried my hair before joining my dad and sister in the squad car and heading towards the diner. For the most part, we ate in silence. Dad had his steak, Bella had a burger and fries, and I just had a salad. But I wasn’t that hungry though. My mind was too busy thinking about the revelations from today. If the situation in Seattle got worse, would the Volturi come here? Would Aro come or just his minions? I shuddered at the thought of running into Jane again, that little she devil. Dad must’ve noticed because he stopped eating and looked at me. I returned his look with a quirked eyebrow.

“What?”

“You sure you’re alright, kiddo? You hardly touched your food. And you’re shaking.” I was about to answer when Bella sensed my discomfort and spoke up to avoid revealing anything.

“So dad, Edward’s parents gave me two airline tickets for my birthday. Two round trips to Jacksonville.” That caught dad’s attention, thankfully.

“Oh yeah? That was mighty generous.” Bella nodded.

“Yeah. Edward said they were expiring soon, so I was wondering if I could go this weekend?” Dad took another bite out of his steak, thinking thoughtfully.

“Yeah, that should be alright. I’m sure your mother will appreciate seeing the two of you again. Get some distance.” Bella and I shared a knowing look. She told me about those tickets months ago, saying she wished Edward was there so he could go with her. I had a feeling Bella was going to ask dad if Edward could go with her.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind seeing mom. As long as Edward can use the companion ticket.” Dad dropped his fork. Oh boy, here we go.

“Bells, why don’t you take your sister? Your mother would appreciate seeing her again.” I looked up at dad suddenly, ready to protest. It wasn’t like I didn’t want to see mom again, it’s just that Phil was there and I really didn’t want to be in the house the same time he was.

“Oh, come on dad. Let her take him with her. I’m sure mom would love to meet him. Besides, I’m not really in the mood to go on a trip right now.”

“Funny. I didn’t recall you saying that when you left the country for three days.” I scowled at him, but he ignored me. “Besides, you haven’t seen your mother in awhile, and I’m sure she’d love to see you before the baby comes.”

“But dad, don’t you think if the Cullens gave Bella two tickets, Edward should be the one to use the companion ticket? I mean, that’s only fair, right? And besides, I really don’t want to see Phil.” I went back to poking at my salad.

“Yeah, dad, what Maggie said. Besides, Edward said he wants to look at some colleges down there. So it’s not like he would be hanging around the whole time.” Smooth lie, Bells. Real smooth. The table went silent for a long time as dad contemplated what Bella said, looking like he was going to regret his decision.

“Alright, he can go. But he has to get his own ticket. Your sister can use the companion ticket. I want her to be your chaperone when you’re down there.” Both Bella and I scowled at dad.

“What? You think they’re gonna do something down their dad?” I asked in half amusement, snorting at his overprotectiveness.

“Hey. I already have one pregnant daughter. I don’t need another one.” Ouch dad, that was cold. Bella looked at me as we continued to eat our meals in silence. I didn’t look up the entire time.

Once we got home, I announced that I was going to bed and kissed dad before going upstairs. Not long after putting on some pajamas, I heard Bella climb up the ladder and knock on the floor.

“Hey, can I come up?” I nodded and buried my head in my knees as I felt my bed sink. Now that I was up in my sanctuary, I felt it was safe to let my emotions show, even if my sister was here. I felt her put an arm around me. “Hey, are you alright?” Now the tears were coming. I looked up and stared Bella in the eye before really breaking down.

“Bella. I’m scared!” I buried my head into her shoulder and cried as she rubbed my back.

“Hey, it’s going to be alright. You heard what Alice and Carlisle said.”

“Bella, you honestly don’t believe that crap, do you? I mean, he almost killed you!” I knew Bella didn’t buy into what Alice and Carlisle said. She was just trying to make me feel better.

“Hey, I won’t let anything happen to you. Or the baby.” She pulled me into a hug, and I cried harder. It felt like an eternity before I fell into a dreamless sleep.

CARLISLE POV  
Well, today didn’t go as planned, but the reactions weren’t a surprise. Maggie didn’t take the news that she was Aro’s mate very well, and I hate myself for letting her trick me into telling her. But Esme did have a point, Maggie did have a right to know. I know it wasn’t my place to tell her, and I know I would have to answer to Aro at some point. But I decided to write him a letter to explain what happened today. It was better he found out sooner than later. After Edward dropped Bella and Maggie off, he came and told me what he heard in Maggie’s thoughts.

Naturally, she was frightened, even if she didn’t seem like the type of person to be frightened. But she wasn’t frightened for herself, but for her unborn child, which made perfect sense. After what Edward told me, I found that he and Maggie shared the same thoughts on immortality. Both abhorred it, and didn’t want Bella to ruin her life. From what Edward told me, Maggie didn’t want any of that. She didn’t want to live in the darkness like the rest of us. I decided to share my thoughts with Aro.

My dear friend,  
I’m writing you to inform you of some unexpected news that transpired today. Maggie was over today visiting with my wife and Alice and Rosalie, and somehow she managed to trick me into revealing that she was your mate. Naturally, her reaction is normal for a human who lived in ignorance about our existence for her entire life. I wanted to let you know it wasn’t my intention to reveal this secret to her, but she seems too clever for her own good. I’m sure you’ll find this to be a suitable quality for a mate for yourself. I must warn you though, she will not take too kindly to you now, as Edward revealed to me some of her thoughts, and I must say, I agree with some of the things she’s concerned about. One of those things she’s worried about is that she won’t be able to live a normal human life like she wants, spending her days in the sun with her friends rather than in darkness. Like Edward, Maggie abhors the idea of immortality and doesn’t want to damn herself to an eternity living in the shadows. If it is your intention to turn her, I urge you to wait until she’s ready, or if you could somehow convince her to join you. Another thing I wanted to mention is since that day in Volterra, Maggie’s sense of fear has heightened, now that she knows she’s your mate. I urge you to proceed with extreme caution, especially since she will be in Volterra for a wedding in the middle of June, the date I am unsure of. 

Hoping you are well,

Carlisle.


	16. Jacksonville

It took some convincing on Bella and Dad’s part, but I ended up agreeing to go to Jacksonville. Not only for Mom’s sake, but for mine as well. I’ve come to the conclusion that, despite my pregnancy hormones going into full swing, I’ve been acting kind of ridiculous lately. Almost childish even. While this whole situation bugged the crap out of me, I decided to not let it get to me. I was going to live my life the way I wanted to, whether the psycho in Italy likes it or not.

Our flight out of Seattle was almost a 7 hour trip with one stop in Atlanta, and I was not looking forward to it. It was almost the middle of May, which only meant one thing. My due date was slowly creeping up. I was entering my 6th month, and while my stomach wasn’t entirely huge, you could tell it was there. And I was a bit nervous about flying, since I was one month away from entering the third trimester, and I’ve heard that you’re not really supposed to fly in the third trimester. Or at least towards the end of your pregnancy. 

But this flight was different from the one I will be taking in June when I travel to Italy for Andy’s wedding, which I’m still having reservations about going. Alice can tell me a million times that she has seen me going to the wedding, but I can change my mind, just like that! On one hand, I did want to go, to support Andy. But on the other hand, I’d rather go cliff diving at La Push than go to Italy, one of the most romantic countries in the world, to watch one of my closest friends get married to someone else. But I still had a month to decide yet. I think. I have to check the invite again to see when it was.

I was sitting in our gate, trying not to get grossed out by the PDA Bella was giving Edward. While I was somewhat happy for my sister now that she was out of her rut, her relationship with Edward was a little creepy. Now I can see what dad meant when he said Bella was obsessed with Edward. It sort of made me cringe. I looked at my phone, trying not to stare at my sister and her boyfriend, and saw that I had a new text message from Hannah. I haven’t spoken to her for a little while, and I felt bad for not talking to her. All the more reason to feel ashamed of how I was acting. 

“Heard you were going to Florida without me. How dare you, biotch?! LOL JK” I snorted.

“WHO TOLD YOU?!”

“I went down to the Rez the other day.” Well fuck. Dad must’ve told Billy, who in turn told Jake, who probably told the rest of the guys. Great. I’ve only been to the Rez once since Bella and I came back from our little adventure, and I felt bad. I made a mental note to visit once we come back from Jacksonville.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m only going to see my mom with my sister. And her boyfriend.

“Still not cool to go without me :( But why is her boyfriend coming along!? That’s a little creepy.”

“Looking at colleges. And yes, I know. What’s even more creepy is the PDA I’m witnessing right now.”

“Gross. But doesn’t it make you feel like a third wheel with him along?” I paused before responding to her text, a little hurt. I glanced at the pair two seats down, huddled up talking about god knows what. Probably about the killings in Seattle. But still seeing them close like that made me a little jealous. But then again I only had myself to blame. If I never broke up with Andy, perhaps I wouldn’t be in this situation. But with that thought, my mind went far away, back to Italy. And what Aro said about waiting a long time for me. That made me wonder what would happen if I never broke up with Andy. If I was really bonded to Aro like everyone said, would things still have worked up with Andy? Or would fate somehow intervene like it did in this universe?

I was shaken from my thoughts as I felt my phone buzz, scaring the shit out of me. I looked down and saw it was a text from Hannah. I must’ve taken too long to respond. Ooos.

“HELLO. EARTH TO MAGGIE! ARE YOU STILL THERE?!” I chuckled a bit.

“Sorry. Had to pee. And to answer your question, no it doesn’t.” That’s the great thing about texting. You can lie and no one would know.

“So why is he even going along?”

“I told you, to look at colleges. And his parents got Bella the tix. Originally it was supposed to be the two going but somehow I managed to be conned into going.” I then looked up at a clock nearby, suddenly alarmed. We had ten minutes until we could start to board, and I never went to the bathroom while we were here. And given the long flight, I thought it was best to go before we took off. “Hey, I’ll txt you when we land. Almost time to board and I have to pee again, LOL!

“LOL! Have fun you crazy biotch!” I left our conversation at that and quickly made my way to the bathroom. I felt relief as soon as I sat down on the toilet. You’re really killing me here, kid. I haven’t really noticed any changes in my bladder patterns until now, which was strange because I heard you pee a lot when you’re pregnant. Maybe I’m just different I guess. Once I exited the bathroom, I started to walk back towards Edward and Bella when something caught my eye and made me stop in my tracks. Or rather, someone made me stop. 

On closer inspection, I noticed a very familiar male, about 6 feet tall with spiky hair. My heart got caught in my throat as I slowly put the pieces together. The guy made it look like he wasn’t looking at me, but I could tell that he was. He was wearing dark shades, but I could recognize his face anywhere. He wasn’t wearing his usual black outfit, sort of sticking out like a sore thumb wearing jeans and a t-shirt. What the hell was he even doing here?! 

Bella’s hand touched my arm and I nearly jumped, causing me to break eye contact with him. “Hey, are you ready to go? It’s almost time to board.” I nodded slightly as I turned to find the spiky haired guy again, but he was gone. Shit.

“Yeah.” Bella must’ve noticed I was looking across the terminal because she looked at me funny.”

“You ok, Maggie?” I quickly turned to look at her and smiled, almost turning too quickly.

“Yeah, it’s just…” I glanced back to where he was standing. “Nevermind. Let’s go.” Before Bella could protest, I headed back towards the gate, putting Demetri out of my thoughts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’m so glad Southwest doesn’t have assigned seats. I really didn’t want to sit next to Bella and Edward. Bella gave me a weird look as I passed them, as if she were expecting me to sit with them. As much as I loved my sister, I didn’t want to intrude on her and Edward anymore than I was. I ignored their stares as I walked until I was 2 rows behind. I grabbed the aisle seat, just in case I needed to use the bathroom mid flight. And I didn’t want to inconvenience anyone that sat next to me.

However, no one came and sat in my row, surprisingly. As soon as everyone was on board and waiting for takeoff, I quickly unfastened my seatbelt and moved towards the window seat, my favorite spot when traveling. As the plane took off, I noticed someone left a newspaper in the chair pocket in front of me. With curiosity getting the best of me, I pulled the paper out from the pocket and unfolded it to get a better look. Not surprisingly, the cover story was about the killings and more people going missing in Seattle. I had a few acquaintances there, and it didn’t hurt for me to check. Not one of the people I was on semi decent terms was listed as missing. But there was one name I was surprised to see. Marcus Osborne. I let the paper fall in my lap, stunned.

It took me a few minutes to process this information. Marcus was missing? Something inside me did a backflip out of happiness. Wait a minute. Should I really be happy about this? I mean, he was human after all. Just kidding. I’m fucking ecstatic. Even if that means I’m going to hell. But who cares. The asshole had it coming.   
I was going to put the paper back in the pocket when something else caught my eye. There, in bold but tiny print, was my name. “What the fuck,” I muttered as I took another glance at the paper, looking slightly concerned. When I read the whole article, I let the paper fall in my lap again. What I read was really shocking. For the whole paragraph that was dedicated to Marcus’ disappearance (which I’m somehow surprised he got a whole one because he wasn’t that well known-except for the police and other crime rings around Seattle), my name somehow managed to make an appearance. Which was surprising really, because Marcus never made an effort to mention me to the other girls he was screwing. But then again, why would he?

“Seattle Police are also looking for a young woman who may have connections with Mr. Osborne. Margaret Swan was last seen in Seattle back in January, and may have more information about Mr. Osborne’s disappearance.” Great. Not only am I dealing with my mixed feelings towards Aro, but I’m also wanted by the police. How lovely. I was going to have to call dad ASAP when we land. Having enough drama for one day, I tucked the newspaper back in the pocket and snuggled up as best I could in my seat and fell asleep to the soothing whirring sound as the plane ascended higher into the air.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Almost 7 hours and multiple trips to the bathroom later, we finally arrived at Jacksonville International. It was close to 10 o’clock at night when we finally touched down and deboarded. I took my time getting off the plane, as I was drowsy as fuck, contemplating whether I should buy a ticket straight back to Seattle. But then again, how the hell would I get back to Forks? Edward was the one who drove.   
I watched as the two lovebirds walked in front of me, Edward’s arm around Bella’s neck, almost protective. I wonder how he fared on the flight, seeing as vampires don’t sleep. I was broken from my thoughts as I heard a loud shriek. “Bella! Maggie! Over here!” Of course it was mom. Who else could yell that loud? I shook my head and put on a tired smile on my face as I walked towards mom where she was standing outside of the security checkpoints. I watched as she hugged Bella enthusiastically, and wondering if dad was right when he said I should see my mom more. Seeing her hug my sister tightly made me wonder if I was wrong to shut her out after the divorce. Broken from my thoughts, I felt my mother pull me into a bear hug, which strangely felt nice, considering I try to shy away from any sort of physical touch since my breakup with Andy.

“Maggie, my sweetheart! It’s about time you come visit me!” Ok, now I was starting to feel bad. Maybe I’ve been acting petty my whole life, shutting her out like I did. She means well, and she does deserve to be happy, despite the whole divorce thing. Still pressed into mom, I looked at Bella, who looked at me, almost sadly. She knew how I felt about mom and Phil, and could see how awkward this trip was going to go for me. But she also had this ‘I told you so’ look in her eyes, as if she agreed with dad when he said I should see mom more often. I looked away awkwardly, only to make eye contact with Demetri. Again. Come on dude. Really? What’s your problem? Edward must’ve sensed my fear and looked in the direction, only to find that Demetri was gone. 

Edward and I exchanged glances before mom and I pulled apart. She looked up and down and me, her smile getting bigger as she saw my bump. “Look at you. You’re glowing honey. How far along are you?” This made me think, as I wasn’t really counting the weeks like a normal person would, given the circumstances.

“You know, I’m not quite sure exactly. I met with my doctor back in January and he said I was already two months and that I was due sometime in August. I’m thinking I’m somewhere around 6 months.” Bella and Edward said nothing as they walked behind us as we headed out of the airport and towards mom’s car. Out of the corner of my eye I saw mom glance me over one too many times. “Mom, are you ok?” I asked her nervously, wondering what her problem was.

“Are you sure you’re six months, honey? You look bigger than that.” Wait, what? Was she calling me fat? I am not that fat? I gave my mom the iciest glare I could muster.

“What’s that supposed to mean?! Are you calling me fat?!” She just laughed, which pissed me off even more.

“No honey, I meant that you look farther along than you are. Are you sure you’re only having one?” I looked alarmed as Bella and my mother laughed at me. 

“Uh, I think so. I mean, the doctor only picked up one heartbeat, so…” I sure hope to god there was only one! I mean, being a young mother to one baby was going to be hard enough. But two?! Good lord, I’m already hyperventilating at the thought. But she did have a point though. I did look a little bigger than I thought I was. But I brushed it off. I was eating more lately, so it was probably a food baby.

“So do you have any names picked out yet?” I shook my head.

“Nah, not really. I wanted to wait to find out the sex before I started narrowing the list down. I don’t want to fall in love with a name only to be disappointed when the time comes, you know?” 

“Uh huh.” I glanced at my mother, who wasn’t even paying attention to anything I was saying. We were in the car now, and I shook my mom gently to grab her attention.

“Mom! Are you even listening to me?!”

“So what do you have in mind if it’s a girl?” Oh my god mom! Please don’t say what I think you’re going to say.

“Mom, I don’t know! Why should I worry about that if I don’t even know the sex?”

“Well, when are you going to find out?”

“Probably not until I get back. I mean, I don’t even know if I’m at the right stage to-” I was cut off by mom’s incessant chatter on how she wanted to help pick out the baby’s name and all that jazz. As I climbed into the front passenger seat, I turned to look at Bella with big eyes and mouthed “help me” as she sat next to Edward.

“Oh! Honey, I just had the greatest idea. You know what I think you should name the baby if it’s a girl?” Oh please, please, please don’t say what I think you’re about to say. I rolled my eyes as I watched the airport fade in the distance as we drove away. 

“No mom. Please, enlighten me.” Like I didn’t already know the answer.

“Now honey, this is just a suggestion. And you don’t have to agree with me, but I thought that you should name your baby girl after Princess Diana!” Oh my god, she’s still hung up on the royal family, isn’t she? I shouldn’t be surprised.

“Mom, no!” 

“Oh come on! I think that’s a lovely name! You know, she was my favorite-” I just rolled my eyes and looked out the window, ignoring my mom as she listed multiple reasons why Princess Diana was the ultimate royal in eyes. And I’m not denying that she wasn’t. Personally, I thought she was too good for Prince Charles. Like, honestly. But that’s another story. I wasn’t going to become like my loving, erratic, hairbrained mother, even though she means well. And I can understand her excitement I suppose. Every parent wants grandchildren eventually, even though I’m giving her one sooner than any of us planned. 

Luckily, Bella decided to intervene and ask mom where Phil was, as he wasn’t there to greet us at the airport. Which I didn’t mind at all. Not only was Phil playing for the local minor league baseball team, but he was also coaching the local high school’s baseball team, who were currently in the playoffs. Mom said he sent his regrets, as he won’t be around much during our visit. Which I also didn’t mind.

It was almost a quarter till 11 when we pulled up to mom’s quaint, but charming beach house. Which conveniently had 3 rooms. I told mom that I could bunk with her so that Edward could use the room I would stay for the duration of the trip. Edward agreed with me, trying to appease my mom with his Edwardian charm. Which really wasn’t necessary as he already had mom wrapped around his finger, according to Bella. I guess when Bella was in the hospital last year, mom was really impressed how Edward never left Bella’s side. It really doesn’t take much to impress her. 

Anyway, mom really didn’t care if he and Bella shared a room, as long as they behaved. I bade everyone goodnight before halling my stuff into my room and shut the door. I called dad before I turned in. After a serious discussion, he told me he would get in touch with the police in Seattle and see what he could do. “I’m not promising you won’t have to go talk to them when you get back, but I’ll see what I can do, kiddo.” I smiled lightly.

“Thanks dad. I love you.”

“I love you too kiddo. Have a good time with your mother, you understand?” After agreeing that I would enjoy spending time with my mother, I bid my dad a goodnight before hanging up. After managing to get out of my clothes, which were running a bit tight now, I pulled an old t-shirt from my bag, only to find out it didn’t fit either! 

“Oh, for fucks sake.” I muttered. Did nothing I own fit me anymore? I mean, what was I going to sleep in now? After deciding it wasn’t important, and too hot, I crawled into bed, letting the blanket be my coverup. I made a mental note to go shopping while I’m here before falling asleep, my mind unconsciously wandering back to Italy.

The next morning, mom made breakfast for all of us. I could always count on her for making the perfect pancakes. While everyone, excluding Edward, had butter and syrup on their pancakes, I had mayo and chocolate syrup on mine, much to everyone’s discomfort. “Hey, don’t knock it until you try it. I think it’s delicious!” Throughout breakfast, we just made small talk, trying to keep this vacation light and fluffy. Mom asked Bella and Edward and Bella about college plans, and stuff like that. I didn’t really talk much, my mind preoccupied with other things. Or rather, it was mostly preoccupied with someone else.

I know it’s been almost 2 months since my trip to Italy, but something inside me made me miss it. Or rather, I missed being in close proximity with Aro. I can’t explain it, but it felt like there was a gaping hole in my chest that could only be filled when he was near. Wait, what? What the actual fuck? There was no way I could actually have feelings for him. Right? I mean, the guy was going to kill my sister, and maybe me as well. But then again, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I mean, last night I dreamt about-

“Are you feeling alright, sweetheart?” I nearly fell out of my chair when I felt mom put a hand on my shoulder.  
“Huh?!”

“I asked if you were feeling alright. You don’t look so well, hon.” I put on the biggest fake smile I could muster and looked at my mom.

“Yeah, mom. I’m ok. Just couldn’t sleep well last night, that’s all. Baby was kicking pretty hard last night.” This was not a lie. I was tossing and turning all night because of the baby. In fact, I think the little squirt is going to do it again. Umph! Yep, I was right. Mom let out a gasp before quickly putting her hand on my bump. It didn’t take long for the baby to kick again. Mom looked up and smiled. Wait, was she crying? “Mom, are you really crying right now?”

“Sorry, it's just...Oh, I can’t believe my baby is having a baby!” Before I could say anything, mom pulled me into another bear hug. Geeze, she needs to warn people when she does this! 

“Mom...Can’t breathe…” After I said this she let go quickly.

“Oh, sorry sweetheart.” She looked me up and down as she returned to her plate. “Your clothes look awfully tight honey. Don’t you have any maternity clothes?” I looked down at my hands, almost embarrassingly. I wasn’t getting much at my job at the diner, seeing as I have to keep paying for gas and car insurance. And since I started going back to school, I really didn’t have much for me. But I wasn’t going to let mom know that.

“I haven’t really had the time to go shopping mom. My job’s been keeping me busy.”

“Well, we’re going to have to fix that. How about you and me do a little shopping today? Just you and me?” She smiled at me so affectionately, and now I felt 100% guilty about shutting her out for the majority of my life. Suddenly, I felt really vulnerable. And real small. Man, I’ve been a terrible daughter. And it made me feel like crap. Which is why I agreed to let mom take me shopping. It was time I started to make things right.

Going shopping with my mom was just what I needed in regards to me getting an attitude adjustment. She bought me a bunch of cute clothes that I couldn’t wait to try on. I got mostly summery stuff like dresses because I got a feeling my waistline was going to get a lot bigger. And because I didn’t feel like wearing any pants lately. But I also got some wintery stuff considering the climate up in Forks wasn’t always the best. 

After our little shopping trip we stopped to grab a bite to eat in the food court. All mom could talk about was how excited she was for the baby to come and what she could do to help. “Well, you know mom, Edward’s sister is going to throw me a shower at the end of July. You can probably help out with that if you like.” Oh boy. When I told her that, she looked like Christmas had come early. I just smiled and nodded as she went on and on about all the stuff she wanted to do to prepare, how I was going to have to visit more often when the baby comes. 

The drive back to her place was pretty quiet, until mom decided to get a little sappy. “You know honey, I’m glad you came down with Bella. It’s been so nice to see again.” Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. I turned to look at and smiled, a genuine smile.

“I’m glad I came to mom. I missed you.”

“I missed you too honey,” she paused before looking at me. “I know you’re still upset with what happened between your father and me,” fuck mom, not now! “And you have every right to be. But I just want you to know that I never stopped loving you girls. And I wish…” Fuck. Now we’re both going to cry. “And I wish I never put you girls through all that. Then you and I might’ve had a real mother-daughter relationship.” I could feel my eyes starting to burn. Crap!

“Mom, pull over.” She did what I asked of her, quietly, and shut the car off. As soon as she did it was my turn to pull her into a hug. I don’t know how long we sat there, crying into each other’s shoulders. All I know is that this was the start of a new relationship I had with my mother.

When we got back from our trip to the mall, mom gave Bella and I a tour of her new surroundings with a walk on the beach. Somehow I think she was trying to get Bella and I to move down here. It felt so nice to be in the sun again, and I could see why mom would want us to move back down here. And I could see why she could never be happy in Forks, which gave me a new understanding of my parents’ divorce.

But soon I was starting to roast from the oh so wonderful sun, so I decided to head back inside. Plus, I could sense a mother-daughter moment between mom and Bella. I walked back into the kitchen via the sliding door, relishing the sweet bliss offered by the A/C. I leaned against the glass door, trying to cool down when a voice made me jump. “The heat too much for you?” I totally forgot Edward was here. In order to stay inconspicuous, he fabricated a term paper that was supposedly due on Monday in order to stay inside all day.

“A little. Plus, Bella was starting to have a moment with mom so I let them be.” Edward didn’t say anything as I walked over the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. I took a sip before returning to my study of Edward, who was looking rather serious as his eyes scanned the laptop in front of him. I slowly made my way to the kitchen table, pondering my decision. Edward glanced up as I sat across from him.

“Something on your mind?” I smirked a little at the irony at that statement.

“I think you know fully what’s on my mind, Edward.”

“As tempted I am to read your thoughts, I try to give you as much privacy as possible. I only catch your thoughts here and there, when they’re loud enough.” Ok, that’s actually quite sweet. I am actually touched. Perhaps he is the true gentleman he says he is.

“Thanks. That really means a lot to me.” The room fell silent again as I heard the mouse scroll at the opposite at the end of the table. “I wanted to apologize.” The scrolling stopped and Edward looked up.

“For?”

“For being such a bitch to you. I know you must’ve read all the horrible stuff I was thinking. I was only looking out for Bella.”

“You don’t have to be sorry, Maggie. If I were in your shoes, I’d be the same way. Believe me, I only left Bella to protect her.” I nodded slowly.

“After what happened, in Italy, I finally understand.” Another brief silence. “Does it bother you? Being what you are, I mean.” Edward nodded.

“I consider myself a damned creature of the night, with no afterlife to look forward to. You heard what Aro said. We truly are soulless monsters.” I pondered this thought carefully. Was he cursed to live a life of immortality? Yes. Was he a damned, soulless, monster? I wasn’t quite sure.

“I take it that’s the reason why you won’t change Bella then?”

“Among other things, yes. I want her to live a full, happy life. I don’t want her to be damned to a life without a soul. I love her, and her happiness means alot to me, but this is something I can’t let happen.” I nodded, letting silence fall between us again. “I wish she was more like you.” That caught my attention real fast. I looked at Edward straight in his beautiful, golden eyes, not faltering.

“I don’t understand.”

“You and Bella seem so similar, yet so different. She wants to live an immortal life, and you have the same disdain for it as me.” I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, well, unlike Bella, I don’t have a choice in the matter.”

“You’re still nervous about Aro, aren’t you?” I scoffed again and looked away.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes you do, Maggie. I can read it in your thoughts. You saw Demetri at the airport, didn’t you?” I looked up again, glaring slightly.

“He’s having me followed, isn’t he?”

“He’s only doing it for your protection. If something were to happen to you…” I swiftly got up from my chair and paced the kitchen slowly.

“What does he want from me?”

“I read his thoughts back in Italy. Believe me when I say that he thinks very highly of you. You mean more to him than the whole Volturi combined.” I scoffed before leaning against a wall, arms crossed.

“Somehow I doubt that, considering how power hungry he seems.”

“He may be attracted to power yes, but that doesn’t mean he’s a complete control freak.” Heh, yeah right! “What you saw back in Volterra may seem extreme, but the Volturi do have a job to maintain our laws. And with me about to expose myself in broad daylight to a bunch of humans, I was about to violate one of our most sacred laws: keeping our existence a secret.”

“But he wanted to kill Bella!” 

“I’ve read his thoughts. He was very reluctant to kill her, considering her potential she might have as a vampire. If you haven’t noticed, Caius seems to be very influential when it comes to decisions like that.” Pffft. No kidding. I slowly made my way back towards the table and sat back in the chair. My eyes went straight past Edward and out where mom and Bella sat. They were huddled very close to another, probably talking about something important. I turned my gaze back to Edward.

“So where does that leave me? Is he going to damn me, as you say, to a life of immortality? Or am I free to live as I wish?” Edward didn’t answer right away. And before he could, mom and Bella came back into the house, laughing. I noticed Bella was holding something that looked something like a quilt. A quilt made out of shirts? Wanting to be by myself, I got up from the table, muttering how I was feeling a bit cold. Ignoring mom and Bella, I made my way to the beach, kicking my shoes off once I hit the sand. I stood there watching the waves for what seemed like an eternity, ignoring the gaping hole in my chest left by Aro’s absence. 

Meanwhile, in Volterra

ARO POV

I threw the letters from Carlisle down in a fit of annoyance. The first letter, which arrived not too long after my encounter with Margaret, proved that Carlisle was willing to look after her until the time would come for her to live here permanently. I was deeply disturbed and distraught after reading this letter. Because of Jane, the most prized member of my guard, my mate almost lost her child. I am unsure how to act on this, because Jane hadn’t intentionally targeted Margaret. And yet, I was intrigued. If Margaret never miscarried, that could only mean one thing: that she had power. And while her shield did not stop me from reading her thoughts, it does prove to be a physical barrier. How very fitting for a mate for one of the three Volturi kings.

I was glad, however, that Carlisle asked his family to follow Margaret alongside Demetri. Although I was rather insulted when he said that using Demetri may not be necessary. While this letter was rather distressing, it did offer some good news. Carlisle wrote at the end about a rogue vampire that is after young Isabella. And possibly my mate. Carlisle informed me that if the situation became serious enough he would send young Margaret here, so that I can keep an eye on her. I would say that I hoped the situation with the rogue vampire became serious enough, so that young Margaret could come here. Under my watchful and desirous eye. But Carlisle’s second letter had even more intrigue.

Apparently I don’t have to worry about the situation with the rogue vampire getting out hand. Margaret will be coming back on her own accord, for a wedding in the middle of June. I grinned and held the letter fondly. It was as if fate were listening to me, ready to deliver my mate wrapped up in a bow. 

But this letter also brought frustration. It would seem that young Margaret found out our little secret, much to her annoying trickery. For someone so young, she was indeed too clever for her own good. So now she knows she belongs to me. At a price. Her attitude towards me soured once she found out, according to Carlisle. It made me sad and frustrated to know that she would think that I would force her into joining me as a vampire. Of course, as much as I would like to expedite the situation, I was willing to let her remain human for as long as she needed to get her affairs straightened out. Of course, I was going to wait until after she had her child and when the child was weaned. But after that? I could only wait for so long. I’m only a patient man for so long, before I claim what’s mine.


	17. It's Like You're a Ghost

Bella and Edward left Sunday afternoon so they’d be back for school Monday. I thought about going with them, but since work gave me more days off than necessary, I decided to hang out for another day or two. Turns out, I really enjoyed this trip, more than I cared to admit. I really wanted to go horseback riding on the beach, but unfortunately, my dreams had to stay that way: just a pipe dream, considering the circumstances. Although, I was allowed to pet one on its muzzle, making it whinny a little. God, I couldn’t wait to get back in the saddle again. Riding horses was always my fave whenever I visited mom in Arizona.

But it all worked out in the end. We did a mother-daughter spa treatment, or rather, alternatives to what a normal spa treatment would include. Apparently mud baths and seaweed wraps are a no-no for pregnant women. I tried to get mom to pamper herself, since it’s been quite some time since she’s been to a spa, with Phil’s schedule and all that. But I lost that battle. Mom didn’t want me to feel left out and joined me in my pregnancy approved treatments, which included facials, manis and pedis, and aromatherapy (which apparently mom is an expert in, suddenly). The only thing she didn’t join me in was my prenatal massage, for obvious reasons.

But what really made the trip for me was right before I left Wednesday morning. Since I couldn’t go snorkeling like I wanted to, the next best thing was sailing around on a glass bottom boat. I have never seen so many amazing things in my life! From sea turtles to clown fish, it was really breathtaking. We even saw a couple of dolphins, with one of them coming right up to the boat! I’m so glad I bought some disposable cameras before I came down here.

The morning I had to fly out, mom and I had another emotional moment. We hugged before it was time for me to board, and I swear to god I thought mom wasn’t going to let me go. After I promised that I would let her know when my baby shower was she smiled at me before letting me go. As soon as I boarded the plane, I felt my phone buzz. After I sat down, I pulled it out of my pocket, rolling my eyes after I saw a message from mom appear on the screen. Seriously mom?! 

“I really enjoyed spending time with you this weekend, sweetheart. I’m sorry it couldn’t have been longer.”

“It’s fine, mom. I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

“Don’t forget to bring my grandbaby :)” I had to laugh a little. I could already tell mom was going to go overboard with this grandma thing. After going through multiple from Hannah and the guys at the Rez, all of them asking me when I was coming home. I tucked my phone back in my pocket after I replied to them all. As the plane started to taxi out of the runway and slowly lifted up in the air, I leaned back into my seat as best I could and fell asleep.

Suddenly, I was awake. Or was I? I found myself in the same exact spot where Alice hid the stolen Porsche back in Volterra. Except the car wasn’t there, and I was lying on the cobbled ground. I slowly sat up, taking in my surroundings. I slowly got up onto my feet, which were barefoot for some reason. I was wearing a soft cotton dress that was white, sleeveless, and came down to above my knees. It was one of those boho-type dresses that you tied around your neck and had a v-neck front. Something that you would wear to the beach. Why was I never pregnant in these dreams?!

Something didn’t feel right. As I walked slowly through the alleyways of Volterra, not one human was in sight. There weren’t even birds chirping. I felt a supernatural chill go through me as I silently made my way into the once crowded square. Ok, now I was feeling spooked. It was like time was standing still. The fountain that sat in the middle of the square wasn’t even running. What is this?

I approached the silent fountain, not taking my eyes off the ancient castle that stood ominously in the background on the other side of the fountain. I soon came to the same spot where I sat and cried for Bella. Apprehensive, I peered over the edge, looking at my reflection. My hair was down, falling past my shoulders as it normally would. The only thing out of the ordinary was that I was wearing a crown of flowers, like Ophelia.

Suddenly, I felt the atmosphere shift, if that makes any sense. Then I heard something absolutely strange. The wind blew, and I could’ve sworn I heard my name being whispered. I closed my eyes, my breath caught in my throat after I realized whose voice that was. I shivered as I felt his hands on my curves, pulling me against him. Once I was right where he wanted me, I felt one of his hands slowly making its way up my body, his fingertips grazing against my breasts gently. I didn’t dare open my eyes as his hand stopped at my neck, applying pressure to it slightly, causing me to whimper. Whether in fear or pleasure, I don’t know. He chuckled softly as I felt the hand that was on my neck move to brush my hair to one side. I moaned lightly as I felt his lips on my neck, making his way up to my ear.

“It’s so lovely to see you again, my dear. I’ve missed you so much.” I felt my body clench slightly as his one hand that was on my waist caressed my inner thigh, his fingers teasing at the hem of my dress.

“Aro…” Fuck, even in my dreams I could feel myself getting wet as I shakily called out his name, causing him to clutch my inner thigh tightly.

“Nothing pleases me more than to hear my name escape from your lips. And soon cara mia, I shall hear you cry it out over and over again.” I let out an audible gasp as I felt his hand slip underneath my dress, resting on the edge of my panties.

“This can’t be real. You’re only in my head.” Aro chuckled darkly.

“Of course I’m in your head my dear. But why should that mean that this,” he slipped his hand into my panties, his fingers teasing my clit, “isn’t real?” I wriggled against Aro’s body, making him groan. I turned my head slightly so I was looking at him through the corner of my eye.

“What do you want from me, Aro?” The vampire in question only chuckled as he slipped a finger inside me, making me gasp.

“My love, you can only imagine all the things I want to do to you.” Before I knew it, I was laying on my back on the edge of the fountain, with Aro on top of me, one knee separating my legs. Seeing the fear and apprehension in my eyes, Aro smirked as he held my wrists above my head with one hand and caressed my neck with the other.

I tried to look away, trembling in apprehension, but his hand forced my head to stay put so that our eyes kept contact. Once Aro made sure I had his attention, his hand returned to my neck, and my eyes fluttered shut. “You don't know how much I love your neck, my dear.” I clenched my eyes tightened as I prepared for the worst. As Aro caressed my neck, I let my head fall to the side, exposing more of it to him than I should have. I arched up slightly. I felt his lips replace his hand, which fell to my hip, gripping it tightly. I trembled as Aro made his way up to my ear, grazing his teeth against my skin. “Don’t be frightened, my dear,” he whispered before going back to my neck. I arched upward as I felt him bite down on my neck.

And then I was shaken awake by the shaking of the plane. Damn turbulence! Once we passed through the bad air, I sat up and stretched. This was going to be a long ride home.

The rest of the flight to the connecting airport in Atlanta went without incident. My flight into Seattle was delayed for two hours, so I decided to wander around the terminal for a bit. I must say, traveling without a carry on was quite nice. Mom promised to send my winter clothes in a separate package, so I didn’t have to borrow one from her.

As I was walking past all the shops and restaurants, I felt something tug inside me. Trying to ignore the feeling, I went into a McDonald’s and ordered some chicken nuggets, fries and a shake. Sitting down at a table that was facing the terminal, I began dipping my fries into my shake when something caught my eye. I don’t know why but this particular gate seemed to be calling me. I stared at the gate, trying to figure out what it was that made me want to board that particular plane. It felt like an eternity before I decided to grab my shake and nuggets and slowly make my way to the enticing gate. As I got closer, I noticed that the plane for this gate was an international flight. To Italy.

That made me stop in my tracks. I stood there, in the middle of the hallway not caring about the other people around me, staring at the gate. It was leaving the same time my plane would. I felt that invisible magnet I felt back in Italy. Something was telling me to drop everything and get on that plane. But then I saw a figure move out of the corner of my eye. Not wanting to attract any more attention than I already had, I only turned my head slightly. My eyes narrowed when I saw Demetri trying oh so hard to be inconspicuous, but wearing a black, fur lined parka in the South wasn’t exactly inconspicuous. His sunglasses only made him stand out more. Demetri was obviously trying hard to look out the window, but I know he’s looking at me. That’s right, bitch. I know you see me, and I know he’s having me followed. What are you gonna do about it?

Seeing Demetri broke me out of my spell, and I stared at him hard before turning and walked back to my gate. God, my feet hurt like hell. I also noticed I was starting to waddle. Man, why didn’t I ask about a wheelchair before we even left?! Lately, I was having episodes where it was harder for me to breathe, especially trying to get up into my room. I think I might have to start sleeping on the couch soon. 

Once I finally reached my gate, I sat down in relief, rubbing my stomach. I looked at the clock, and it looked like I had another 45 minutes before we could board. Oh shit, better text dad.

After letting dad know I would be late, as he would be picking me up from the airport in Seattle, I tucked my phone back in my pocket and looked out the window. As I was rubbing my stomach, my mind went back to the weird dream I had on the flight to Atlanta. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get him out of my head. The song “Addicted” by Kelly Clarkson came to mind, and I never related to a song in my whole life. Aro was like a ghost that was forever haunting me, and I was letting him have all the power. Not that I minded. There was something so sexy about dominance and need for power. Just thinking about him made my baby kick me. Hard. Ow! Take it easy there, kid! 

But that little stinker didn’t listen. As long as I thought about Aro, he/she wouldn’t stop. Wait, what? Did the baby think that Aro was… Nah. I shook my head and tried to occupy myself without thinking about Aro.


	18. Interrogations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Includes a disturbing scene of domestic violence, implies domestic violence/rape.

The flight back into Seattle was a little rough, given the fact the weather was still kind of crappy, but nothing really happened. No strange dreams, no nothing. Even the baby was pretty quiet. Not that I minded the peace and quiet. I needed a break from all the crap that’s been going on.

Dad was waiting for me once I finally made it past the security checkpoint, and I hugged him as fast as my swollen feet could take me. “Hey kiddo! How was your trip?” Dad took the suitcase for me, pulling with one hand while wrapping his other arm around my shoulder as we made our way out of the airport.

“Great! It was nice seeing mom again. I’m glad I tagged along with Bella.”

“See, aren’t you glad I told you to use the companion ticket?” Dad laughed as I hit him in the shoulder half-heartedly.

“Dad, do you always have to be right?”

“Yup.” I scoffed and rolled my eyes in jest as we walked toward his cruiser. I hopped into the front passenger seat as dad put my luggage into the trunk before getting into his side of the car. As he started the car, I leaned back into my seat and groaned. Dad looked at me cautiously.

“You ok, Mags? You didn’t eat something funny down there, did you?”

“No, I’m just tired. I can’t wait to get into bed when we get home. Which reminds me, I think I might need to start sleeping downstairs pretty soon, because lately I’ve been getting really winded and I don’t think I can handle going up and down that ladder.”

“Well, you’re going to have to wait because we have to stop at the police station here first.” That got my attention real fast. I looked at my dad incredulously.

“What, why?!”

“They want to talk to you about your ex boyfriend disappearing, since you were close to him.”

“What?! But I thought you said you talked to them?”

“I did, kiddo, but they still want to talk to you.”

“Can’t this wait until morning? It’s almost midnight!”

“Sorry, kiddo. They wanted to talk to you as soon as you came back.” I huffed as I looked out the window, crossing my arms over my chest. Great, just great. They probably think I killed him or something. 

We had to go to police headquarters, which was on the other side of Seattle. As dad got onto I-5, I rubbed my stomach absentmindedly, trying to calm myself down. But it was no use. I was starting to get a little hangry. Man, I should’ve ate something on the plane.

It only took us 20 minutes to reach Seattle PD headquarters, thanks to the low amount of traffic on the roads. The only comfort I got out of this situation was that dad was going to come inside with me. 

Once inside, we were greeted by two officers, Officer Fitzgerald and Officer Bentley. They took us back into an interrogation room, which gave me the chills. “So, Miss. Swan…” I looked up at Officer Bentley, staring at him hard.

“Maggie, if you please, sir.” The bespectacled officer stared at me for a moment before looking back at his notes.

“Well Maggie, do you know why we asked you to come in today?” I nodded.

“Yeah, I read that my ex disappeared last week in the paper.” Officer Bentley nodded.

“That is correct. Marcus Osborne disappeared last Wednesday, and according to our sources, you were pretty close to him.” I narrowed my eyes, wondering who these “sources” were.

“And just who are your sources, Officer?”

“Just answer the question, Maggie.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my dad nod at me, and I sighed. What could possibly go wrong.

“Yeah, we dated for a couple of years, but I left him back in January.”

“And what were your reasons for leaving him?” I felt a flare of anger inside me, but then I realized they don’t know the whole situation.

“I left because I had enough. Not only was he cheating on me, but he was beating and raping me as well, which resulted in my obvious condition,” I said as I gestured to my stomach. “I obviously had to protect my unborn child.”

“I see. If he was beating you, then why didn’t you come to us?” WHAT?! Suddenly, the whole atmosphere in the room changed. Even the female officer standing in the corner looked uncomfortable.

“Now wait just a minute-” Officer Bentley held up a hand in my dad’s face, not breaking eye contact with me.  
“Well, Miss. Swan?” Trying to control my temper, I exhaled deeply before answering him.

“Because he threatened to kill me if I told anyone. And I believed him. Even if I wanted to go to the police I couldn’t because he was having me followed.”

“By who?”

“Either by one of his drunken friends or one of the bitches he was seeing behind my back.” Officer Fitzgerald came out of her corner, looking more sympathetic than her partner.

“How long has this been happening, Maggie?” I looked in her brown eyes, which were filled with concern. It was like looking at a female version of my dad.

“Well, he wasn’t always this way. When I first met him my sophomore year of college, he was actually pretty sweet, despite his bad boy looks. He started sweet talking me for a while and then we started going out. Eventually, he convinced me to drop out of school and move in with him. After that, it started to go downhill.” I could feel tears starting to form, so I tried to hold them as best as I could. As much as I hated reliving my violent past, it was the only way to set things straight. Officer Fitzgerald looked at me, waiting for me to continue. So I took a shaky breath before beginning again. “I remember when I first caught him cheating…”

*Flashback*  
Finally, my favorite part of the day. Closing time. Once the last customer left I flipped the open sign to closed and leaned against the door, sighing. My partner in crime, Reggie, was at the register, counting up our profits for the day. Looking up, he noticed I was still slumped against the door. “You working hard, or hardly working, Swan?” I rolled my eyes and scoffed sarcastically.

“Shut the fuck up, Reggie.” I slowly made my way to the counter where the register was and leaned forward on my elbows.

“Hey, I’m just saying these tables aren’t going to wash themselves. You know how anal the boss can be.” This was true. On many occasions have I seen Mr. Pilgrim scream at an innocent co worker for not cleaning hard enough. Luckily, once he yells at someone, they learn real fast to not make that mistake again. I have experienced this firsthand.

Sighing, I made my way behind the counter and grabbed a bottle of cleaning spray and a rag. “Psh, you don’t need to remind me,” I said as I began to clean the tables. A silence fell between us as I washed tables and Reggie counting at the register. But I found myself distracted and washing the same table for over 5 minutes. Unfortunately, Reggie noticed.

“You ok there, Maggie?” I let out a deep sigh. Truthfully, I wasn’t. Marcus was acting weird lately. He’s been coming home late almost every night and hasn’t been answering my calls. My mind went to one thing, but I didn’t want to believe that. There’s no way he could do that to me. “Hello! Earth to Maggie!” I felt something hit my head lightly, which broke me from my thoughts. Looking at the table, I noticed it was a crumpled up order slip.

“What was that for?”

“Is something bothering you, Maggie?” I shook my head quickly before moving on to the next table.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Reggie.” Shit. Even I could sense the edge in my voice. My paranoia was starting to show. I heard Reggie slowly walk over and felt him put a hand on my shoulder.

“Come on Mags, I can see it on your face,” he pulled out a chair and sat down, patting the spot next to him. Sighing, I sat down next to him, burying my head in my arms, trying not to cry, but I failed.

“I think Marcus is cheating on me, Reggie.” I heard his chair squeak against the floor as he moved closer to put an arm around me.

“Oh Maggie…” I stood up suddenly and walked to the counter, my back towards Reggie.

“No. It’s fine. He’s probably just working overtime every day. That’s all.” I felt myself starting to shake. Reggie got up from the chair he was sitting in and put a hand on my shoulder.

“Look, you go home and get some rest. I’ll finish closing up tonight.” I turned my head slightly and looked at him gratefully.

“You mean that, Reggie?” He smiled at me sadly.

“Go on. Get outta here.” I slowly went in to hug him and buried my head in his shoulder.

“You’re the best, Reggie.”

“I know that.” I wacked him playfully and smiled at him before turning to leave.

I didn’t have far to drive to the one bedroom apartment I shared with Marcus, but my mind was racing the whole time. Perhaps I was just being paranoid. Marcus was always complaining of not getting enough hours at his job. So maybe he got lucky and picked some up. That would explain why he never returned my calls. Yeah. That was it. 

When I reached the parking lot of our apartment, I turned the car off and sat for awhile, debating if I should go in or not. One part of me told me to just drive away, confirming my fears. But the other side was just full of reassurance that everything was fine. That was the side that won.

So I got out of my car and walked to our apartment building, walking into the dimly lit entranceway. As I slowly made my way down the hall towards the staircase, I pulled out my phone to see if Marcus had called. But I had no notifications. Sighing, I climbed the steps to the second floor where we lived, and made my way to the door of our apartment. Unlocking the door, I went in and threw my purse on the kitchen table. Sighing out of relief, I sat down in one of the chairs, lazily looking around the room. Then something caught my eye.

There were a pair of heels sitting by the door, and they weren’t mine. Then I heard it. A woman’s giggle coming from the bedroom. Slowly standing up, I made my way from the kitchen to our bedroom. Standing outside the closed door, I heard the giggling continue, and I shut my eyes. My worst fear confirmed.

Then, sadness turned into anger when I decided to march in there and toss the bimbo out. Taking a deep breath I burst into the room, ready to confront Marcus and whoever was in my bed. They were naked, but thankfully under the blanket. They were paying no attention to me until I slammed the door against the wall. Both Marcus and the girl looked up, like deer caught in headlights. The girl looked away, looking uncomfortable while Marcus looked like a child who just got caught doing something bad. “Baby, this isn’t what it looks like!”

Feeling the tears starting to form, I shook my head in disgust. “Just forget about it, Marcus!” I turned and exited the room to get my purse. I heard commotion going on back in the bedroom, and before I could leave, Marcus pulled on my arm and turned me around. Luckily, he put on some pants.

“Baby, can’t we talk about this?” I yanked my arm away.

“No! Fuck you, Marcus!” I turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm again. A little more forcefully this time.  
“Baby, please!” I turned to glare at him.

“That bitch better be gone by the time I come back, Marcus!” With one last glare, I exited the apartment and slammed the door. I cried all the way to my car.

*End Flashback*

“So where did you stay that night?” I looked up at Officer Fitzgerald with empty eyes.

“I stayed at a friend’s place for a few days, before going back.”

“What made you go back?” I paused, wondering if I was emotionally stable to continue with this. But if this would clear my name, then so be it.

“Marcus came to the door begging for forgiveness, with a bouquet of flowers in one hand. Somehow, he managed to convince me that he was sorry and wouldn’t do it again. And I believed him.”

“But he did do it again.” I nodded slowly, not looking at anyone in particular.

“And with each time he would become less apologetic. After the third time, that’s when things started to get bad. Marcus began drinking and started hanging out with a bunch of drug dealers and prostitutes. And that’s when he started having explosive outbursts whenever he didn’t get what he wanted or if I did something wrong, using me as a punching bag. He would always come home drunk. Sometimes he would rape me. Other times it was consensual. But I was always the outlet for his anger.” The room fell silent again as I struggled to contain my emotions. The only one who didn’t look uncomfortable was Officer Bentley, who looked slightly unconvinced.

“And this went on for how long?”

“A few years, sir.”

“I see.” Another silent pause. “Miss. Swan, would you have any knowledge on Mr. Osborne’s whereabouts?” I shook my head.

“No sir. Like I said, the last time I saw him was in January before I left for Forks.”

“Did you ever think about returning to Seattle, Miss. Swan?” I looked at Officer Bentley suspiciously. What was he getting at?

“Why would I ever want to come back to the place where my abuser lived, sir?”

“Well, if what you're telling me is true Miss. Swan, I don’t think it would be too far fetched to say that you would want revenge against Mr. Osborne, yes?” Oh hell no!

“Of course, I thought about that all the time. But I know better than that. Plus, I had my child to think about.”

“Is the child Mr. Osborne’s?” Calm down, Maggie. Calm down.

“Of course it is. Marcus was my only partner at the time.” Officer Bentley looked at me hard.

“I just find it strange, Miss. Swan, that a woman in your situation would even stay for as long as you had. If Mr. Osborne was bad as you said, then maybe you would’ve left as soon as he started acting out.” That got dad’s attention.

“Now wait just a damn minute. Are you calling my daughter a liar? After all she’s been through-” But he was shot down again.

“Easy there, chief. I’m not calling your daughter anything. It’s my job to get all the facts before making a decision. I don’t want to make a decision based on false allegations.” That’s it! I stood up, looking at Officer Bentley dead in the eye.

“I’m sorry sir, but you have no idea what it’s like to be in an abusive relationship or the gaslighting that comes with it.” The bastard just scoffed.

“Miss. Swan, I hardly think that’s the point here-” I slammed on the table, startling everyone. I got out of the chair and pulled up my shirt, showing Officers Bentley and Fitzgerald my back, the latter gasping out loud. 

“Oh yeah? Then care to explain what these are?!” My dad stared at my back, looking thunderous.

“Maggie, what the hell happened?!” I turned to look at my dad.

“Like I said, Marcus liked to use me as his punching bag, using any means necessary to hurt me. In this case, he whipped me. Some nights were so bad that I had to sleep on my stomach and couldn’t move for hours.” Officer Fitzgerald cautiously made her way towards me to observe my permanent scars. She looked at me, and I nodded, giving her permission. I winced slightly as she touched one of my scars gently.

“Dear god…” I heard her mutter. “These look permanent.”

“That’s because they are.”

“How did you even get these to heal?”

“Well, of course I couldn’t go to the hospital, they would just ask too many questions. I had to swear Reggie to secret as he tried to treat it the best he could in the bathroom after hours.”

“But you never saw a doctor?”

“No ma’am, I did not.” The room fell silent again as I sent a glare to Officer Bentley, who looked uncomfortable. Good. “Well, if that’s all you want from me, then I’m leaving. I’m tired, and I have to look out for my child. Excuse me.” I walked out of the room, trying not to scream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ride back home was awkward. Dad didn’t even attempt to make conversation like he normally would. Once we got home, I silently made my way up to my room, struggling up the ladder. Once in the safe haven of my attic, I pulled the ladder closed and buried myself in my blankets, falling into a dreamless sleep.


	19. Fights and Feelings

I slept in real late the next day, and it felt amazing. I woke up feeling great, despite the crappy day I had yesterday. I wasn’t even feeling sore like I was yesterday, which was weird. Something wasn’t right. I shouldn’t be feeling like I was yesterday. That made me wonder if I was farther along than I was, because I seemed a little too big for 6 months. But then again, it could just be a food baby. Because while I didn't have any specific food cravings, I was eating a lot more than I normally was. And I definitely wasn't having twins, so it's probably just a food baby.

But that still doesn't explain why I've been feeling the way I am. I mean, is this even normal for this stage? Or was my body not recovering right from Jane’s attack? Either way, something wasn’t right about these symptoms showing up early. I’ll have to check with Carlisle next time I see him.

Suddenly, my phone began to go off like no tomorrow. Groaning, I rolled over to the other side of my bed and slowly sat up before stretching. Slowly making my way to the desk, I unplugged my phone from the charger and found multiple text alerts from a group chat

“Hey bitch, when you coming back to the Rez?”- Paul  
“Paul! Don’t call Maggie a bitch!” -Quil  
“Yeah, Paul! Shut up!” - Embry  
“Can’t you pansies take a joke? Maggie knows I’m kidding. Right, Maggie?” - Paul   
I rolled my eyes before I decided to intervene.   
“...Why aren’t you idiots in school?” -Me  
“Lunch time” -Quil

“Yeah. We snuck out of school and went to Emily’s” -Embry

“...You guys realize my dad is a cop, right?” -Me

“So? What does that have to do with anything?” -Paul

“It means he can come get your stupid asses and drag them back to school! I mean, seriously guys?!” -Me

“Nice try, mom, but Chief Swan has no power here. Tribal police, remember?” -Paul. Eyeroll. Oh yeah, I forgot.

“Besides, it’s not like you never snuck out of school before.”-Embry

“I never snuck out school you morons.” -Me

“Yeah, but you still snuck out of the house at night.” -Quil

“Haha, he got you got you good Maggie! XD” -Paul

“WHO TOLD YOU?!” -Me. 

“We have our sources ;)” -Embry

“Ugh, why do I even hang out with you guys?!” -Me

“Because you love us :3” -Quil. Oh Quil, I’ll always have a soft spot for you.

“So, are you coming down to the Rez or not?” -Paul

“...I suppose I don’t have a choice.” -Me

“Not a chance.” -Embry

“If you don’t come, we’ll have to come get you ourselves!” -Paul

“Ugh, fine. But you guys get your asses back to school. Pronto.” -Me

“Why do you have to be such a buzzkill?!” -Paul

“Paul, don’t talk to our mom like that!” -Embry

“Guys, don’t be mean :(“ -Quil

“...I’ll see you guys later.” -Me

Rolling my eyes, I exited out of the conversation and set my phone down. Leaning forward onto my desk, I glared out the window. Another rainy May day in Forks, how typical. Hopefully it lets up by the time I go to the Rez. I don’t want to catch a cold. Sighing, I grabbed some of the new clothes mom and I bought and climbed down the ladder to take a nice warm shower. 

After spending a few minutes longer than necessary, I dried off and put on my new clothes. As I was blow drying my hair, something made me freeze, and not in the cold way. While lowering my head to reach the back, my eyes wandered down to my stomach, which looked strangely huge for 6 months. Right? 

That’s when my mom’s voice came back to haunt me. “Are you sure you’re six months, honey? You look bigger than that.” “Are you sure you’re only having one?” My eyes caught my reflection in the mirror, a look of dawning horror slowly creeping on my face.

I started going back and forth from freaking out from reassurance. On one hand, I was eating a lot more lately, so there was a possibility my baby was sharing their home with a food baby. But what if I was further along than I was? That I could cope with. Maybe. But what if I was carrying more than one? Then what was I going to do?

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! I sat down on the toilet, hair only half dry, and rubbed my temples. Ok Maggie, breathe. Just breathe! Neither Dr. Anderson or Carlisle found a second heartbeat! At this thought, I calmed down a bit. No heartbeat, no second baby.

After finishing drying my hair, I went downstairs to grab some breakfast, or lunch I should say, before I headed to the Rez. I peered out the window into the front lawn as I made my way into the kitchen. Dad’s cruiser wasn’t there so I assumed he was at work. And Bella was at school, so it was just me and the little one. I couldn’t believe my little sister was graduating next month. It seemed like only yesterday she was born. Now she was all grown up. And ready to end her life. I paused in my tracks. Even that was dark for me, geeze.

I sighed wistfully and made myself a bowl of my favorite cereal and a glass of oj and parked myself in front of the tv. There wasn’t anything good on so I just randomly flipped through the channels as I ate. As soon as I finished, I placed my bowl on the coffee table, feeling too lazy to walk a few feet into the kitchen. The clock on the TV said it was only 1 in the afternoon, so I had about 2 hours before the guys got done with school. That is, if they ever went back to school. Those idiots. Did I always have to babysit them?

I yawned, still feeling a bit groggy from yesterday. I debated whether to take a nap or not, and eventually, sleep took over as I curled up on the couch.

And then out of nowhere I felt a large object smack my body. Hard. “OW!”

“Maggie? Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” After hearing Bella’s voice I looked up, noticing Bella’s backpack lying on the floor next to the couch.

“Bella, what the fuck?!” I sat up, rubbing myself where her backpack hit me quite rudely. I turned to glare at my sister, who was standing apprehensively next to Edward. “Bella, why the hell would you even do that? I mean, Grandma Swan’s ashes are literally right here!” I made a dramatic gesture with both of my hands in the direction of the coffee table that held the urn of my grandmother’s ashes.

“Oops.”

“Yeah. Oops!” I stretched before standing up. “So how was school today, Bells? Anything exciting?”

“No, not really. Just the usual pre-graduation jitters.”

“Oh god, that brings me back.” It really did. When I graduated back in 2001, the month before graduation all hell broke loose. People were either spending the last half of the school year getting their pregame on or trying to out prank each other. At the time, I thought everything was pretty frickin hilarious. Now I realize I went to school with a bunch of idiots. I mean, the fire alarm was going off constantly because people were going way too far with their pranks. I mean, one time, a guy thought it would be funny if he lit off a firecracker in the cafeteria. Needless to say, I didn’t see that kid at graduation. 

I started heading upstairs to grab my phone so I could head to the Rez right away, when I heard Bella call after me. “Hey, where are you going?” I was halfway up the steps before I stopped to turn to look at my sister.

“Going to the Rez. Wanna come?”   
“Would love to, but I got a big test coming up. Don’t wanna fail and not walk at graduation, you know?” She gave me a half smile before retrieving her backpack off the floor. I just nodded and headed back up the stairs to my room to get my phone. When I got up into my room, I noticed I had a message from Quil.

“Hey, you coming to the Rez or not? Because Paul and Embry are really serious about coming to get you themselves.” -Quil

“Tell them to chill. I’ll be heading out in a few minutes.” -Me

“Ok, good. Because they were just about to take their clothes off and I was getting concerned.” -Quil

Wait, what?

“Why the hell would they even be taking their clothes off?!” -Me. Did I want to know? Not really, but there was a part of me that was always curious.

“They were sort of going to transform and howl outside your house…” -Quil

“WHAT THE FUCK?! Don’t you guys ever think things through?!” -Me

“I mean, I do but those two idiots don’t . Ok, maybe Embry on occasion, but not Paul. Definitely not Paul.” -Quil

“Well obviously. But seriously tell them I’m coming because I don’t want them to get hit by a car or get shot at.” -Me

“Roger that!” -Quil

When I went downstairs, I saw Edward and Bella huddled up on the couch, with books in their laps. “Alright Bells, I’m heading out. Don’t wait up.” 

Before she could respond, Edward turned to look at me and said, “Just be careful Maggie, all right?” I looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.

“Why wouldn’t I? The guys at Rez will keep me safe.” When I saw him look away, looking rather uncomfortable, I sensed something was wrong, given the fact that he didn’t answer me. Even Bella looked a little anxious. I scoffed and said, “Is there something going on that I don’t know about? Because I’m sensing a bad vibe here.” Oh god, I was starting to sound like my mother, with all her meditation and aura crap. 

Before Edward could respond, Bella said, “It’s fine, Maggie. Go have fun.” I looked at the pair quite warily, not sure if I should believe them. I wanted to protest, but I decided against it and headed out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I drove to Emily’s place, since it was so obvious they would be there. I know Emily makes really good food, but I don't understand it with them. Where does it all go?! They must’ve heard me pull up because they all came rushing out as soon as I got out of the car. 

The first one to come rushing over was Paul, who tried to pick me up and spin me around. He failed miserably, and I had to laugh. “Geeze Paul, when did you become such a wimp?” Both Quil and Embry broke out in laughter as Paul kept trying to pick me up.

“Hey, it’s not my fault you’ve gotten so fat.” WHAT?! Both Quil and Embry made “oh’ing” sounds in the background as I glared at Paul. The smirk he had on his face disappeared real fast. Sensing danger, Paul began to run, with me doing as best as I could.

“PAUL LAHOTE, WHEN I CATCH YOU, I’M GOING TO TURN YOU INTO A FUR PELT!” 

“You’re going to have to catch me first!” Damn, since when could he run so fast? But then again, I forgot I was pregnant and waddling like a penguin. Quil and Embry kept jeering in the background as I tried to get revenge on Paul. I guess we were getting a little rowdy because Emily and Sam came outside to see what the commotion was.

“Alright, that’s enough!” Both Paul and I stopped dead in our tracks. No matter how long I’ve known Sam, he still scared the shit out of me sometimes. Glaring slightly at us, Sam folded his arms across his chest, making him seem more intimidating. “Just what is going on here?!” 

Walking back over to where Quil and Embry were, quite nonchalantly, I responded, “Oh, just the usual. Paul being a complete dick and calling a pregnant woman fat.”

“Paul, that’s no way to talk to a lady. You should be ashamed of yourself!” God, I loved Emily. She was such a badass. And I guess Paul thought so too because he looked away, quite shamefully. Good. While a lot of the guys weren’t that intimidated by Sam, they were by Emily. Emily very rarely got angry, but when she did, look out! Outside of the peanut gallery I call friends, she’s probably my favorite person on the Rez.

After things settled down, we went and joined Sam and Emily in the kitchen. Emily made more muffins, much to my delight. “So Maggie, how was Florida?” I looked at Quil before taking a bite out of my muffin.

“It was alright. Didn’t get to do some of the stuff I wanted to do. Like, I wanted to go horseback riding on the beach, but due to the circumstances...Well, you know.”

“Don’t feel bad, Maggie. I don’t think the horse would be able to carry you anyway.” I glared at Paul as he laughed to himself. Thankfully, he shut up when Emily whacked him alongside the head.

“Anyway, I still had a nice time with my mom though. But I missed you guys! Anything happen while I was gone?” That’s when the room got quiet. The guys looked between each other, debating whether or not to tell me. “Come on guys, something must’ve happened.”

“Hey, why don’t we all go down to the beach? The waves aren’t that bad today.”

“Yeah, let’s go!” Suddenly, the guys got up from the table and started to head outside. I looked at Sam and Emily for an answer, but they seemed unsure as well. 

“Come on, Maggie!” I rolled my eyes and followed my idiot friends. We all piled into my car as we headed towards First Beach.

“So, did you idiots ever go back to school like I told you to?”

“Oh, sure we did. We didn’t want to get in trouble, did we Paul?” I glanced in my rearview mirror and saw Embry look at Paul, who shook his head.

“No sir!” I scoffed at Paul’s remark. He was always trying to push the limit on things.

“But I don’t understand. If you don’t want to get in trouble, then why sneak out of school and go directly to Emily’s? It seems to me she wouldn’t have let that slide.”

“You would think so, but she can’t resist our puppy dog eyes.” Paul and Embry proceeded to make said puppy dog eyes and whimper, laughing at their little joke. I just rolled my eyes.

“Why do I even hang out with you guys again?”

“Uh, because we’re awesome?”

“Yeah Maggie. Don’t think we don’t know you think we’re pretty hot!” Paul wiggled his eyebrows and all three of them laughed.

“Pretty sure you guys are a little young for me. I mean, you’re 16 years old!”

“So? That doesn’t mean you can’t be attracted to us.”

“Ugh!” I said nothing as the idiots in the back laughed all the way to the beach. Once there, we got out of the car and found a driftwood log to sit on. We all sat in silence for a while before I noticed a figure down the beach, tossing rocks into the ocean. Upon closer inspection, I noticed it was Jake. “Hey, is that Jake? Why’s he all alone?” I heard Embry scoff.

“He’s been moody lately, so we’ve been kinda avoiding him. Although those no way getting around his obsessive inner monologue.”

“No kidding. Ever since he learned Bella’s going to get eaten next month, he’s been acting like a crybaby lately.” My eyes widened as I looked at Paul.

“Wait, what?” Quil looked at me.

“Yeah, didn’t you know? Bella told Jake that she was going to change right after graduation. They got into a fight about it when she came back from Florida.”

“What the fuck?! She literally graduates in a month! She hasn’t even lived yet!” Embry nodded.

“That’s what Jake said too.” I sat there, looking dumbfounded. How come she never told me it was going to be so soon. I felt hurt. Quil must’ve sensed this and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Did she really not tell you this?” I shook my head silently.

“No. No, she didn’t. But why should I have expected her to? It’s her decision, not mine.”

“Heh, good thing we don’t have to worry about you, right Maggie?” I said nothing as the guys laughed. Feeling uncomfortable, I stood up from the log and walked towards the shoreline. I never told them about what really happened in Italy. Or that I was mated to one of the most powerful vampires in the world. God, I can’t even imagine how they would react if I told them.

“Hey Maggie, are you alright?” Shit, it was Quil. He could always sense when something was wrong. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What do I do? Do I tell them, or nah? I began to toss rocks into the ocean, mimicking Jake’s mood.

“It’s alright Quil, I’m fine.

“No, you’re not. I can feel something is off with you. Why won’t you tell me?” I took a deep breath before turning to look at him.

“Quil, if I told you, you gotta promise me you won’t tell Paul or Embry.”  
“Won’t tell us what, Maggie?” FUCK! The pair in question stood right behind Quil.

“Yeah Maggie, it’s not nice to keep secrets!”

“First of all, you guys are the ones to talk!” I must’ve spoken a little too harshly because they looked down at their feet, smiles gone. I felt kind of bad. “Look, why don’t we all sit down?” They all nodded as we headed back towards the driftwood log. I paced back and forth as they sat and watched me.

“Look, there’s something I never told you guys. Something I probably should have when I got back from Italy.” 

“Why? What happened in Italy? Did those leeches do something to you?” I turned to look at Paul, who was starting to get upset.

“No, no, no! I mean, I told you about that concussion I got, and how some psycho vampire child used her powers on me, but that’s not what I meant.” I took another deep breath, feeling anxious now. “Look...guys…” 

“Just spit it out Maggie!”

“Yeah, you can trust us.” Oh Quil! I stopped pacing and faced all three of them. Time to get this over with.

“Ok, it’s a vampire thing…”

“What’s a vampire thing?”

“Well, uh, you know how you guys have no control on who you imprint on? Well, same goes for vampires and their mating-” That’s when all hell broke loose.

“What?!”

“Maggie, what are you saying?” I took another deep breath before I announced the final nail in my coffin. No pun intended.

“Look, I didn’t find out right away when I got back, because the Cullens wouldn’t tell me. But...I’m sorta mated to one of the vampires in Italy.” I braced myself for the explosion that followed.

“WHAT?!

“Maggie, please tell me you’re lying.” I looked at Embry, and shook my head solemnly.

“No Embry, I’m not.” That’s when Paul got mad.

“I just can’t fucking believe this, Maggie.”

“Paul, I know this looks bad, but-”

“You’re damn right this is bad!” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jake look over at us.

“Paul, please calm down-” He just laughed.

“Calm down? How can I calm down after what you told us?” Ok, he really needs to work on volume control because I’m pretty sure Emily and Sam could here us all the way from Emily’s place. Fuck, now Jake was walking over.

“Hey guys, what’s going on?” Paul just scoffed.

“Looks like Bella isn’t the only one who's going to become a bloodsucker, Jake.” Jake looked at me, rather shocked.

“Is this true, Maggie?” I shook my head.

“Look, I think you’re all blowing this out of proportion! Just because I’m mated to a vampire doesn’t mean-” Jake did a double take.

“Woah, woah. Hold up. Are you serious, Maggie?!” I looked at Jake sadly.

“Yes, it’s true Jake. I found out when I went to Italy to save Bella.” I could see him getting frustrated, but not as bad as Paul. “But it’s not what you think!”

“Cut the crap, Maggie. We all know what’s going to happen. As soon as you have your baby, he’s going to take you away and lock you away from the world, and force you to become a bloodsucker, just like them. It makes me sick!” Ok, I was officially done with Paul’s attitude. Feeling brave, I got up into his face, giving him the strongest glare I could muster.

“That’s not true, Paul! He would never do something like that! You don’t know him!” Wait, what? Where was this coming from? Suddenly, I was defending Aro, and it felt weird.

“I don’t have to know him to know that he’s a monster!” That made me a little upset, and I don’t know why. Suddenly, I felt my eyes water. Crap, not here.

“Look, why don’t you guys both calm down-” But Paul cut Quil off. 

“Calm down? Quil, how can you be so accepting about this?”

“I’m not. But this fighting isn’t good for Maggie or her baby-”

“Neither is being the mate of a vampire!” Everyone fell silent and I used this opportunity to take some deep breaths.

“Look, Paul…” He wasn't even looking at me now. Ouch. “It’s not like I want to become a vampire. Frankly, I don’t see how Bella would even want to be one. But trust me, this would not be something I would have chosen for myself. But we can’t help who we fall in love with-” Shit, I should have never have said that, because now Paul was pissed.

“What?! Are you telling me you love that bloodsucker? Maggie, you can’t be serious right now!”

“Paul, I didn’t say that. I said we don’t have control over stuff like this! It’s just how the universe works.” 

“Maggie, you disgust me right now.” And with that, Paul transformed into a wolf and ran into the woods, howling. The tears that have been forming escaped and I collapsed onto a log, burying my head in my hands. I felt one of the guys sit next to me, I presumed it was Quil, and rub my back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ride back home to Forks seemed like a long one. I tried to rationalize my thoughts, trying to deny that I felt anything for Aro. But I kept reliving what Paul said in my head, and the more I thought about it the more angry I got at him. How dare he talk about Aro like that. He didn’t even know him! 

But you don’t know him either, Maggie. No, but that wasn’t the point! I really couldn’t explain what made me so angry over Paul’s words, because I was so emotionally conflicted. On one hand, there was this natural fear I had over Aro. He was proof that monsters exist, and that he could kill me whenever he wanted. But then, from what the Cullens told me and from my encounter I had with him in Italy made me rethink my fears about him locking me away and holding me captive. There was just something about him that captivated me and drew me closer to him.

Wanting to distract myself, I turned on my radio in order to ease the confliction I felt. But when I turned it on to the Oldies station, which I frequently listened to, the song “Cara Mia” by Jay and the Americans was playing, and all I could do was think about Aro. 

I don’t know if it was the pregnancy hormones or what, but I had to pull over to the side of the road and shut my car off. There was no doubt about it now. I was slowly falling in love with Aro, no matter how much I didn’t want to.


	20. Sisterly Discussions

When I got home, Bella and Edward were still pouring over their notes on the couch. “Hey, how was it at the Rez?” Ignoring Bella, I headed straight into the kitchen to find something to eat before going up to hide in my room. But I guess I was making too much noise, opening and slamming cupboards closed, since both Bella and Edward soon came into the kitchen after me. Ignoring them, I continued to scavenge for food. Although at this point I was just trying to distract myself. “Maggie, what’s the matter? Did something happen?”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Bella.” Oh boy, here we go. Whenever something bothered me, I would always shut down and push people away. And history was repeating itself. Was it unhealthy? Obviously. But do I have any other ways to cope? Nope. God, I was such a mess.

Before Bella could respond, Edward butted in by saying, “She’s upset because she got in a fight with Paul.” I spun around and glared at Edward, who didn’t even flinch.

“Dude! Seriously? What happened to giving me privacy?”

“I do give you privacy, Maggie. It’s just your thoughts are being so loud right now it’s hard not to listen to them.” Before I could start an argument, Bella looked at me with concern.

“What happened between you and Paul? I thought you guys were close?”

“We are. It’s just...Ugh!” Rubbing my eyes, I sat down at the kitchen table, debating if I should tell her or not. I heard a chair scrape, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Bella pull up a chair and sat next to me. Almost too close. Great. This was going to be another one of those heart to heart sibling talks, wasn’t it? Ugh! I looked warily at Bella as she put a hand on my shoulder.

“Hey, what is it? Come on Maggie, you can tell me. We’re sisters, remember?” I groaned. I was getting pretty sick of her turning my words against me.

“Bella, it’s fine-”

“But I can see that it isn’t!” She placed a hand on my arm as she cut me off mid-sentence. I sighed and turned my head, afraid that my face would give it all away. “Maggie, please tell me.” 

“It’s nothing. Paul was just being an asshole like usual. Nothing new.”

“But something else happened, didn’t it? I mean, you guys usually don’t fight like this.

“That’s true,” I scoffed. I stood up from my chair, almost too quickly, and walked over to the window by the sink. The rain finally let up, but it still looked icky. I could barely make out a figure standing in the cluster of trees that surrounded the house. I didn’t need to squint to figure out who it was. I wonder if Demetri was listening to our conversation. He probably was, that creep. Then I froze, realizing the implications if he was indeed listening. If I told Bella what really went down at the Rez, Demetri would run straight back to Italy and tell Aro what he heard. And then I would most likely be kidnapped and taken back to Italy to be kept in a gilded cage. Turning back to look at my sister, I said, “But it’s no big deal, Bella! I mean, I’m not even upset. See?” I pulled the fakest smile I could muster, in hopes that Bella would believe me. However, one look at her told me she wasn’t having it.

“Cut the crap, Maggie!” Both Edward and I looked at Bella in surprise. Like, holy crap! She usually isn’t this aggressive. “You and I both know you’re lying.” I threw my hands up in annoyance.

“So what if I’m lying?! It’s not like it’s any of your business anyways!” The room fell silent, and I immediately felt bad. I knew I was being petty, and there was only so much I could blame on the hormones. To my surprise, Bella kept a passive expression on her face before continuing.

“I just want to help you, Maggie.”

I opened my mouth to say something when Edward butted in. Again. “I think you should tell her, Maggie. She’s your sister, after all.” That softend me a little bit. It’s true that we always told each other our problems and any secrets we held. But I was conflicted. If I told Bella what happened, then I would have to tell her how I was starting to have feelings for Aro, and I was scared about how she would react. He did try to kill her after all. “If you don’t tell her Maggie, I will.” That fucker! I turned and gave Edward one of my usual glares, even though they never worked on him. He couldn’t mind his own business, could he.

“Seriously, Edward? I thought we talked about this?!” He just rolled his eyes.  
“We did. But maybe you should learn not to be so loud.” Wow! Rude much? Rubbing my eyes, I slowly made my way back to the chair I was sitting in and buried my head in my hands. I took a few minutes to contemplate what I should do. Groaning deeply, I looked up from my hands, staring at the wall behind Edward, not daring to look at my sister.

“Ok, fine. But Bella? Promise me you won’t freak, because this is kind of a big deal. Kay?” Looking out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bella’s face go from passive to confusion.

“Why would I freak out?” I sucked in a breath before turning my head slightly towards my sister.

“Well...I was kinda forced to tell the guys I’m mated to a vampire.”

“What? Are you serious?!” I nodded, looking down at the table.

“Yeah. The guys aren’t too thrilled right now. At least Paul isn’t, I think. I had to explain to him that I didn’t ask for any of this and that I didn’t have a choice about becoming a vampire, but he wouldn’t listen.”

“I mean, I can understand how he feels. Once you’re a vampire you can’t go back to the Rez.” I looked up suddenly. This was news to me.

Looking at my sister incredulously, I replied, “What?! Why?!” 

“It's part of a treaty my family made with the Quileutes back in the ‘30s. As long as we kept off their land and promised not to attack humans, our kinds could live alongside each other in peace.” I turned to look at Edward, my mouth slightly agape.

“So you're telling me I can never see my friends again if I become one of you.”

“Not on the reservation, yes. But nothing is stopping you from seeing them off of the reservation.” I sat back in my chair, stunned. What the fuck?! Now I definitely didn't want to become a vampire. It's like Aro was already taking over my life.

With that thought, my mind wandered back to him, and my ongoing struggle with my feelings toward him. I felt conflicted. I was slowly falling for him and hated him at the same time.

“There's something else bothering you, isn't it?” I jumped slightly as I felt Bella put a hand on my arm. I looked away nervously. 

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Yes, you do!” There she goes, being all aggressive. “There was something else you fought about, wasn't there?” I felt tears starting to form in my eyes, and I quickly stood up and walked towards the window by the sink again. 

“You wouldn't understand, Bella.” Shit, I think my voice cracked.

“It doesn't have anything to do with Aro, does it?” Dammit! As soon as Bella mentioned Aro, I felt myself choking on my emotions. It almost seemed like an eternity before Edward broke the silence, saving me from answering Bella.

“Paul thinks Aro would force Maggie to become one of us.”

“You mean he isn't going to?” Fuck, don't start crying Maggie! 

“From what I could read in Aro’s thoughts, no. He does want Maggie to come to that decision herself. Although, he does hope she decides to change.”

“So what was the whole fight about then?” Oh no. Before Edward could speak, I found my voice and turned around slowly, avoiding both brown and golden eyes.

“I tried telling Paul that Aro wouldn't do anything like that, and that he didn't know him. But he wouldn't listen. He got more pissed when I tried to defend Aro.”

“But why would you defend him, though? After what happened in Italy?” Another silence fell between us and I could feel myself shake, tears about to slip down my face. It didn't take Bella too long to put the pieces together. “Oh my god. You love him, don't you?” 

There was just something about her tone that made me break. Not wanting to break down in front of my sister and her boyfriend, I quickly made my way out of the kitchen and up the stairs to my room, pulling up the ladder once secured upstairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I spent a long time up in my room, enjoying the privacy to cry soundlessly. My phone kept buzzing, but I made no attempt to answer whoever was texting me. I assumed it was the guys, but I wasn't in the mood to talk to them. Ok, maybe Quil. He seemed less angry about the whole situation than Paul and Embry. And Jake? I honestly couldn't tell from his expression. 

I don't know how long I spent locked up in my room. I didn't even hear someone pulling the ladder down and climbing up into my sanctuary. “Can I come in?” Rolling over to my other side, I saw Bella peeking up from the ladder. I nodded, letting her come up into my room.

We didn't say anything for a while. I remained curled up in a ball, or attempted to at least, and Bella looked nervously at her fingers as she sat next to my feet. The only thing that made any sound was my phone buzzing. “Aren’t you going to get that?”

Groaning, I sat up and stretched. “Pffft, no! It’s probably just the guys. And I’m not in the mood for them right now.” Ugh, my nose still sounded plugged up from crying so much. Another silence fell between us as I attempted to hug my knees to my chest.

“Hey, are you alright?” Bella put an arm around my shoulder.

“Not really…” And that was the truth. I was so confused right now. I was caught between siding with Paul and my developing feelings for Aro. I turned my head so I was looking at my sister. “Bella, I’m so sorry.” She raised an eyebrow.  
“For what?”

“For yelling at you earlier. And for having feelings for Aro…”

“So you do love him then!” Her tone was more gentler and less accusatory like before.

“Not exactly…” I let the room go silent on purpose, trying to avoid explaining the complicated emotions I was feeling towards my sister. But she and I were cut from the same cloth. Always wanting to find out more.

“What does that mean?” Feeling embarrassed, I buried my face into my legs.

“It’s difficult to explain, Bella…” 

“Try me.” Looking up to glare at my sister, I let out a deep sigh, gathering my thoughts. When was I ever going to learn not to keep things from her? She always managed to badger things out of me.

“I’m just so confused. Like, I’m still in love with Andy. And a part of me wishes that I was the one marrying him instead of that plastic bitch!” This was true. Ever since I learned about Andy and that...bimbo, countless scenarios as to why the wedding wouldn’t take place. Some terrific disaster, like an earthquake that would rip a big hole in the earth, swallowing Georgiana whole. Or an explosion so magnificent, it would burn her to a crisp. I imagined almost every apocalyptic scenario imaginable.  
“But?” I rubbed my face before glancing at my sister. I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn’t force the words out without sounding extremely cliche, so I stood up and walked towards the window on the opposite side of the room. My bed squeaked slightly as I heard Bella shift her position slightly so she could look at me. “Hey, what is it?”

“Bella, you’re going to think I’m crazy but…” I watched a couple of rabbits hop around the yard, blissfully unaware of the goings on of the human and supernatural worlds. How nice it must be to be an innocent animal, I thought bitterly. Inclining my slightly so that I was glancing at my sister, I found the courage to summon the words I wanted to speak before. “Bella, I think I know why it didn’t work out between Andy and me,” I said quietly. I let the room fall silent again, really trying not to gag at the cheesiness of it all.

“I thought you said it didn’t work out because you didn’t want to marry young and end up divorced like mom and Charlie?” Since when did she start calling dad by his first name? Weird. 

“I mean, technically yes. But that was before…” I went quiet, feeling my cheeks starting to burn from embarrassment about what I was about to say. I could feel Bella’s eyes burning a hole in the back of my head, and I was determined to keep my eyes out the window.

“Before?” I shut my eyes, wishing the earth would swallow me whole. I could feel my face contort into an expression of annoyance as my phone began to buzz again. Damn it, you guys! Leave me alone!

“Before I met Aro,” I whispered quietly. God, this was embarrassing. I caught my sister’s eye, my blue eyes meeting her brown ones. She looked like she was trying to figure out a complex puzzle. Which is exactly how I would describe my feelings for Aro. Oh! I think the baby kicked again. This was strange.

“But you’ve only just met him a couple months ago. How could he possibly have stopped you from marrying Andy?” 

“Bella, you’re probably wondering how I found you back in Italy. You know, before I was catfished by that vampire chick,” I smiled ironically at the memory. To think, the woman who forced me against my will brought me to the man who was slowly becoming the fixation of my existence, much to my chagrin. 

“Yeah, I never did ask you about that. How did you manage to find where we were?” I blushed slightly.

“Well, I didn’t find you exactly. I only made it to the fountain. But even then, I still don’t even know how exactly I managed to get there. All I know is that something inside me was pulling inside me. I’ve been feeling it for a while before Italy, but it wasn’t as pronounced as it was until then. It was especially strong when I first saw Aro.” I paused and looked at Bella, whose facial expression indicated me to go on. “I know it sounds weird, but I think something deep inside of me was holding me back to wait for Aro. And when we met, it felt like there was a magnet pulling me towards him.” I looked away, not wanting to see how my sister would react. I felt her hand on mine, and I tilted my head slightly.

“Hey, I don’t think that’s weird. I was the same way you are when I met Edward.”

“Really?” 

“Yep. I was dazzled by him. I’d always be looking for him in the cafeteria. I was always staring at him…”

“I wasn’t staring at Aro!” I hissed in a semi-offended manner, the corners of my mouth lifting a little.

“Yes you were! I saw that look in your eye. You only get that look when you get real obsessed about something.”

“I’m not obsessed!” I squealed as I playfully shoved her in the shoulder. We both laughed as we fell on our backs. Our laughter died down into content as we shared a sisterly moment, lying side by side. As we sat in silence, I remembered the moment right before I left for the Rez earlier, when she and Edward shared a glance. I wondered if it had anything to do with the secret the guys were hiding from me. “Hey Bella?”

“Yeah, Mags?”

“Are you ever going to tell me what’s going on?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, before I left for the Rez, you and Edward looked rather hesitant when I said I was going to the Rez.” I paused to gauge her reaction before I continued. She looked a little apprehensive. “And when I got there, the guys looked rather worried about something and they wouldn’t tell me what it was.” I glanced at my sister again, squinting slightly. “Mind telling what happened while I was gone?”

“Maggie, I’m not sure-” I sat up suddenly, looking stern.

“Oh come on, Bella! It’s obvious something did happen! I mean, why would Edward try to keep me from going to the Rez? And why would the guys drag me to the beach as soon as I ask them?”

“Maggie, I think it’s better that you don’t know. For your own safety.” Wait, what?

“My safety? Bella, what about your safety? I mean, there’s a psychotic ass vampire after you!” Feeling frustrated, I let the room fall silent for a moment to calm myself, putting my hands together and pressing my fingertips to my lips. Just the way Aro had as we were leaving Volterra. Oh god! Stop it! Before she could say anything, I grabbed her hand and looked her straight in the eye. “Bella, you’re my little sister. I just want to protect you. Please tell me what I can do.” Her gaze softened a little bit as I pleaded with her, before she looked away awkwardly.

“I don’t think there’s anything you can do, Maggie. You’re only human after all.” Then it dawned on me. It probably had something to do with the vampire that was after Bella. Or those attacks in Seattle.

“Maybe, but I at least want to know what’s going on. If I can’t protect you physically, I can at least offer emotional support.” I wanted to laugh, since she has no idea I was already in motion to protect her at any cost. But I knew I had to be careful. For the sake of my baby, I had to do a little digging to see what I could do. I squeezed my sister’s hand and offered a small smile. She looked hesitant, but she knew I wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of our sisterly bond.

“Ok, but you have to promise me that you won’t flip out, ok?” I snorted.

“Bella, with all that I’ve seen these past few months, I don’t think nothing can shock me anymore.”

“I’m serious, this isn’t funny.” I threw my hands up in mock defensiveness. 

“I wasn’t trying to be, but ok.”

“Well, Alice had a vision right before we left for Jacksonville. It was about Victoria.” Why am I not surprised? I nodded.

“Go on.”

“Alice saw Victoria coming to Forks, so Edward’s family and the guys had to go on patrol.” My blood froze. She was actually in Forks?! What the hell?! But then I remembered Alice mentioning that her visions weren’t always correct. 

“So...was Alice right? Was she actually spotted?” 

“Yeah. They ended up chasing her right onto the reservation. Edward told me that Victoria jumped from side to side across the river to try to get away. And when she jumped back onto the reservation, Emmett went a little too far and went after her and almost crossed the border.” What the hell?!

“Yeah, well that doesn’t surprise me, considering who Emmett is.” This was true. While Emmett was hilarious, he also didn’t mess around. “So is he ok?”

“Actually, Paul stopped him before cross over and Victoria ended up getting away. They almost got into a fight.” I mentally facepalmed. Why does it always have to be Paul?

“Ugh, that idiot. Well, they both are. But what happens now? I mean, it’s not like Victoria is going to let this slide.”

“Edward doesn’t think so, either. Especially not after another vampire coming into the house.” That caught my attention. I turned my head sharply to look at Bella.

“So wait, you’re telling me some random vampire was in the house?!” My hand clenched Bella’s arm tightly for a moment, before I realized that I was squeezing too hard.

“Yeah. Edward caught the scent and traced it up into my bedroom.” Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap! My thoughts turned to my dad. Fuck, what if he was home at the time?

“What the hell?! Was dad home? Please tell me he wasn’t home.”

“Yeah, he was home.” Seeing my frightened expression, Bella jumped in before I could. “But he’s ok. He wasn’t hurt. Whoever it was just left him sleeping on the couch.” Oh thank god! 

“And the Cullens have no idea who it was?”

“Nope. They think they might be working for Victoria, but Alice couldn’t see her in her visions.”

“And it wasn’t the Volturi?”

“Alice said that wasn’t likely either. She’s been watching Aro’s decisions.” As soon as I heard his name I shuddered slightly. Every time I heard someone say his name, I always had the feeling of him engulfing my body in his arms. Suddenly, intoxicating images began to run through my mind. Damn it, Maggie! “And since the situation in Seattle hasn’t become serious yet, he hasn’t made any decisions.” I shook my head to get myself out of my daydream.

“So now what?”

“The wolves are going to help the Cullens patrol. I didn’t want any of them to starve so I begged Edward to let the guys help. He didn’t think he could trust me being around them,” she scoffed. My phone buzzed again and I sighed out of annoyance.

“Well, I better see who that is before my phone actually explodes,” I stood up and stretched before walking over to my desk. I picked up my phone and groaned immediately when I saw that most of the texts were from the guys. Or at least Quil and Embry. And there was one from Hannah. Better check in on her. I haven’t spoken to her in ages, and I felt bad.

“Who is it?” I turned to look at Bella and rolled my eyes.

“Take a guess.”

“You know you’re going to have to talk to them eventually.” 

“Yeah, I know. But not now. It’s too soon.”

“Well, I’d better get back downstairs. Still have a lot of studying, you know?” I smiled at her and watched as she started to climb down the ladder. 

Walking over to it, I leaned over and called out Bella’s name. She came back towards the foot of the ladder and stared up at me.

“What?”

“Behave yourselves down there. I don’t want to come downstairs shagging on the couch.” I only laughed as she flipped me the bird and smiled before she walked away. Still laughing, I walked over to my desk and grabbed my laptop before plopping down on my bed. Opening up Google, I entered what I wanted and hit search, letting my plan to protect Bella from these psycho vampires come into fruition.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, In Volterra  
Aro POV

I was slowly going mad, and not in the sense mortals today used the word. No matter what my brothers and I were doing, my thoughts always ended up back to her. Margaret. My Margaret, with eyes as blue as sapphires and long luscious curls that fell down her back. I ached to run my fingers through them. I could only imagine what she looked like with her hair down.

I often found myself alone when there weren't any serious discussions to be had, trying to suppress my urges and any thoughts of her. I also went as far as hunting outside Volterra to take out my anger on not having my mate with me on some unsuspecting human. All in order to avoid looking weak in front of my brothers and the rest of the guard.

Then one day, I received another letter from Carlisle. Anxious to read anything about my mate, I ripped the envelope open, nearly tearing the letter containing Carlisle’s impeccable penmanship in half. My eyes scanned the page rapidly, and my hands soon crumpled the paper. Both out of frustration and nervousness. The situation with the rogue vampire was getting worse. Not only had they come in close proximity to where Margaret and Isabella lived, another unknown vampire somehow managed to enter the home where they lived. 

Suddenly, I felt anger beginning to rise inside me. Not only by the fact that my mate could’ve been harmed, but by the fact that the Cullens let this happen. My anger diminished somewhat when I read that Margaret supposedly wasn’t home. Confirming with Demetri that she was indeed gone at the time, apparently visiting her mother in another part of the country.

Carlisle had written that they were now taking extra measures to protect Isabella and Margaret. But that didn’t satisfy me enough. Driven by my anger towards Carlisle for not doing enough to protect Margaret and my desire to have her in my presence, I called upon Felix and Demetri to have the Volturi’s private jet be prepared for my journey. I had to make sure my mate was safe. Even if it means fighting my temptation to accost her and take her back to Volterra, where she belongs.


	21. A Growing Threat

“What about this one?” I gestured to a light silver floor length gown that was one shouldered and had a bow wrapped around the front. The text I got from Hannah asked me what I was going to wear to the wedding, and I said I didn’t know yet. Frankly, I haven’t even given it a single thought since I got back from Italy. She then informed me that there was a very strict dress code. Not only did the women have to find a nice dress suit for the ceremony, but we also had to find a very formal gown for the reception. Oh, and did I mention we had to find a mask to go with it? Supposedly it’s also a masquerade for some reason. I actually had to call Hannah to make sure she wasn’t kidding. We spent almost a half hour trashing the whole ordeal we would have to face. Petty, I know.

“Maggie, no! You never wear white to a wedding. It’s just common courtesy.” I acquired the help of Alice and Rosalie, who knew more about fashion than anyone else I knew. But I was starting to regret that decision. Whenever I found something I liked, Alice always found fault with. And whenever Alice showed me something she found, I dismissed it as ridiculous and too outgoing. Rosalie only watched us bicker in silent bemusement. There was something that I did find that we both agreed on, for the ceremony. It was a black shift dress with a bow on the chest and white trimming. With a black blazer, and a wide brimmed, Audrey Hepburn style hat, we both agreed it was perfect for the ceremony. Despite Alice’s reservations about me wearing black.

Scoffing, I replied back in a semi-sarcastic tone. “I’m pretty sure it’s silver, but ok.” Alice just sighed as we continued to sift through the racks. “Besides, wouldn’t you think it rather hilarious? I mean, I can only imagine Georgiana’s face!” I began to snicker uncontrollably, only making Alice sigh harder. “Oh come on! Don’t tell me that you didn’t find that funny.”

“I thought it was funny.” I looked over at Rosalie, who was smiling at herself. Upon closer inspection, she looked like she was recalling some pleasant memory.

“Thank you!” I added with dramatic effect.

“Rose, don’t encourage her. We don’t need her to make a spectacle of herself like you.” Both Rosalie and I rolled our eyes.

“Well excuse me for wanting to get a little revenge on a high school rival that made my life hell.”

“Gee Maggie, you’re sounding a lot like a certain somebody who's currently residing in the underworld of Volterra.” I stopped sifting through the racks and looked up sharply at Rosalie. I gave her one of the meanest glares I could find, but she only smirked.

“Excuse me?!” Even Alice was smiling a little, despite herself.

“She’s right, Maggie. You do sound a lot like Aro.” And just like that, I felt a chill run down my spine.

“Look Alice, she’s turning red!” I turned to glare at Rosalie again.

“I am not!” Which was a lie. I could feel my face burning up. “And for your information, I am nothing like that arrogant, egotistical maniac!” Feeling embarrassed, I walked out of the store, annoyed by the fact that my feelings for Aro were becoming more apparent.

Despite the many shops in Tacoma, we could not find a single gown that Alice and I could agree on, so we left discouraged. Then, on the ride back to the Cullens’ place, Alice lit up as if some brilliant idea came into her pretty head. She mentioned that she had several degrees in fashion design and would be more than happy to make my dress for me. I contemplated the idea, recalling what Bella told me about Alice’s eagerness and extravagance when it came to parties and clothing. I was hesitant, but I decided I’d allow it, given the fact that Alice did have exceptional taste and was experienced in the field. And I thought why not have a little fun. Besides, what could make Georgiana more jealous than a customized dress that was made only for me. The thought delighted me, and I smirked a little as I gazed out the window of Alice’s Porsche. Good god, I did sound a little like Aro. And I didn’t know if that disgusted me or not.

Back at the Cullens, the three of us went up to Alice and Jasper’s room, which had a walk-in closet larger than the room itself. And in the closet, besides Alice’s many clothes, was a design table and everything she needed to take my measurements. I told her I wanted something red, my favorite color, and that it had to cover my back. When Alice asked why, I shyly told her of the scars on my back. Both her and Rosalie gasped when I showed them my back. “Well, that can be fixed with a little makeup.” Despite her optimistic tone, I think even Alice doubted that as well.

“I don’t think that’s going to work. Trust me, I tried.” She patted my shoulder gently.

“Don’t worry, we’ll think of something.” 

After discussing what I wanted, we went back downstairs. Somehow, Rosalie and I ended alone for a while. We didn’t talk for a while as we stood out on the porch, listening to the nature that surrounded the wonderful house that Esme had worked so hard on. We’d look at each other every now and then, but neither of us could find the words to speak. Rosalie eventually was the one to break the silence. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” Her voice was quiet, and not in her usual snobby tone. 

I looked down at my feet awkwardly. “It’s alright,” I mumbled. She looked at me sharply.

“No, it’s not alright. He could’ve killed you! And the baby.” I flinched at her harsh tone, which she immediately regretted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound harsh. It’s just…” It got quiet again, and I sensed a change in her mood. She looked like she could cry, if it was even possible for vampires to cry. I awkwardly fiddled my thumbs as she tried to compose herself. “I know what it’s like. To be taken advantage of.” I know I really shouldn’t pry, but I was curious. And that she seemed willing to tell her story.

“You do?”

“Yes. My life was absolutely perfect, before it all happened. I had the most eligible bachelor in town as my fiance. I wanted to be married, have a nice house with a husband to kiss me when he came home. A family of my own,” she glanced at my stomach briefly, before returning her gaze to the forest. “I barely knew my fiance, but I was young. I was in love with the idea of being in love. I thought everything was perfect.” Now I was starting to feel uncomfortable. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked.   
“But something went wrong, didn’t it?” Damn it, Maggie! She nodded slowly.

“I left a friend’s house late on the last night of my life. She had the most adorable baby boy, with dimples and curly hair,” she smiled at the memory. “I was jealous of her. Her marriage was perfect and filled with love, while my relationship with Royce seemed cool and distant. I didn’t find out that he was an alcoholic and only cared about my looks until that night.”

“Rosalie, you don’t have to continue-” But she ignored me.

“I was walking home late that night, when I passed Royce and his friends. They were drinking. He called me over and introduced me to his friends. They made lewd remarks and Royce tried to undress me. I said I would see him the next day when he was sober, and tried to leave. And that’s when it happened.” I looked away, assuming the worst.

“How did you end up with the Cullens?”

“Carlisle was the one that found me. There was so much blood that he couldn’t help it. I thought he was helping me.” 

“I’m sorry Rosalie.” She looked at me and smiled ruefully.

“Don’t worry, I got my revenge on them. One by one. I saved my fiance for last, so he would know I was coming. I ended up stealing a wedding dress for the occasion. I guess you could say I was a little theatrical back then.”  
“Is that why you found my idea of wearing white to the wedding so funny?”

“Yes,” she laughed a little before pausing. “We’re alike, you and I.” I quirked an eyebrow at her. 

“How so?”

“Well, we both don’t want your sister to ruin her chance of living. You have the same distaste for immortality like Edward and I. That’s what I most like about you.” She turned to look at me and smiled. “I envy Bella, for having the choice to stop herself for making the wrong one. She thinks I hate her, but I don’t. I don’t particularly like her, no offense.” I nodded slowly. “You and her are so alike, but so different. You don’t have a choice.”

“I don’t know, Alice told me that Aro would be willing to let me be human as long as I want.” She scoffed.

“You really think he’s going to let you stay human? Maggie, he’s one of the most powerful individuals of our kind. What he gets, he wants. Eventually, he’ll have his way.” We didn’t say anything more as we stared at luscious trees that surrounded us. I don’t know how long we stood there, but we eventually closed the gap between us. I could’ve sworn I felt her squeeze my hand. Whether in reassurance or pity, I’ll never know.

When I got back home, I decided it was time to read my texts from the guys. During my little trip with Alice and Rosalie, I could feel my phone buzz non-stop. They were only from Quil and Embry. They begged me to come back so we could talk, saying how Paul was being mopey and apologetic. Somehow, I didn’t quite believe them. And I didn’t think I was ready to forgive them quite yet. But Quil said they were having a bonfire tonight, and that I was welcomed to come. Despite my better judgement, I groaned before walking back out to my car and pulling out of the driveway.

Everybody was at Jake’s house. And when I meant everybody, I meant everybody. Not only were the guys there, but so was Billy, Sue Clearwater, Quil’s grandpa, and Leah. Quil and Embry were the first ones to come running over when I got out of my car. “Maggie! Bout damn time girl!” Embry tried to pick me up, but his efforts were only in vain due to my ever growing stomach. I have to admit, I had to laugh at his struggle.

“Damn Maggie, you’re huge! Are you sure you’re only having one?” Before I could answer Quil, I heard a familiar voice coming from behind where Quil was.

“Hey, how come when I said that she was fat, I got beat up?” My smile vanished. Embry let me go as I peered over Quil’s shoulder. Paul stepped forward sheepishly. We stared at each other in silence as Quil and Embry stood around awkwardly. 

“Hey.” I decided to break the ice first.

“Hey.” We didn’t say anything else as we stood and stared at each other. Slowly, we both walked over to each other and he pulled me in for a hug. Resting my forehead against his chest, I hugged him back.

“You know I don’t completely forgive you, right?”

“I know. I’m sorry for being such an ass.”

“Well, that’s normal for you, isn’t it?” I teased, playfully hitting him in the shoulder.

“Hey!” But he laughed along with Quil and Embry. After a few minutes, everything was quiet again except for the crackle of the fire and the sound of the council leaders talking quietly.

“So what’s going on?”

“Council meeting tonight.” I looked at Quil before backing up a few steps.

“Woah, woah. You told me it was just a regular bonfire.”

“Maggie, are you blind? It is a bonfire!” 

“Yeah, I shouldn’t be here. I don’t want to crash anything.” I turned to leave, but Quil grabbed my arm.

“Hey, it’s ok. Jake invited Bella so you’re good.”

“Yeah, they thought it would be good for you and Bella to hear the histories of the tribe?” I looked at Embry.

“But aren’t those secret though? You guys were so uptight about keeping your wolf thing a secret.”

“Yeah, but that was before we knew you and Bella were involved with the bloodsuckers.” I flinched at Paul’s words, which made him seem a little regretful at his choice of words.

“Besides. We all have a role in this. Including you. And besides, it’s my first time here too! Now come on, let’s roast some marshmallows!” I laughed as the guys dragged me over to the circle of logs. I said hi to everyone as I took my place on a log, in between Quil and Embry. But I felt uncomfortable. Billy kept looking over at me, as if he already knew. But I did my best to pay him no mind as the guys and I ate some burgers and roasted marshmallows. Not long afterwards, Bella and Jake joined us, my sister seemed surprised that I was here as well. After everyone was well fed, Billy began to tell us the stories of the tribe.

“The Quileutes have been a small tribe from the beginning, but we’ve always had magic in our blood. We were great spirit warriors. Shapeshifters that transformed to the powerful wolf.” So they weren’t actually werewolves? What the hell?! I sat entranced by Billy’s words, drinking in every detail. “This enabled us to scare off our enemies and protect our tribe. One day, our warriors came across a creature. It looked like a man, but it was hard like stone. And cold as ice.” Oh fuck. It had to be the only thing I was thinking of.

I felt a shiver go down my spine, and Quil grabbed my hand. “It’s ok,” he whispered.

“Our warriors' sharp teeth finally tore it apart. But only fire would completely destroy it. They lived in fear that the Cold Man was not alone.” Billy paused and took a long gaze into the fire. “And they were right. She took her vengeance out on the village. Our elder chief, Taha Aki, was the only spirit warrior left to save the tribe, after his son was killed. Taha Aki’s third wife could see that he would lose. The third wife was no magical being, having no special powers but one. Courage.” 

Now I was starting to sweat bullets. And I don’t know if it was from the fire or from fear. Billy went on to describe how the Cold Woman had Taha Aki in a power struggle, and how he was failing. I shut my eyes and bit my lip as Billy described the third wife stabbing herself in the abdomen as a sacrifice, her blood attracting the vampire. “The third wife’s sacrifice distracted the Cold Woman long enough for Taha Aki to destroy her. She saved the tribe. Over time, our enemies disappeared. But one remains.” Both Bella and I looked at each other nervously as Billy glanced our way. “The Cold Ones. Our magic awakens when they’re near. And we sense it now. We feel the threat in our blood. Something terrible is coming. And we must all be ready. All of us.” Billy looked at us again, and I felt both Quil and Embry squeeze my hands.

As the gathering started to disperse, I found that I couldn’t move from my seat on the log. “Hey Maggie, are you alright?” I heard Embry’s words, but I couldn’t react. I was too numb. I looked Bella in the eye, sensing that we shared the same feeling. That’s when I felt someone shake me roughly.

“Hello? Earth to Maggie!” Of course it had to be Paul.

“Dude, what the hell?!” He threw up his hands in the air, feigning surprise. 

“Sorry, but you looked pretty out of it. Are you sure you’re ok? I mean, you look like you’re going to throw up.” Feeling defensive, I stood up, nearly losing my balance.

“I’m fine, ok? I’m just tired.” I could feel others staring at me as I rubbed my stomach, not sure how I feel. “I need to go,” I mumbled as I walked towards my car. But before I could far, I heard Billy come up from behind me.

“Maggie.” I turned to look at him, feeling apprehensive. From the way he looked at me, I was 100 percent sure he knew about me and Aro. “Are you alright?” I nodded my head slowly.

“Y-yeah,” I managed to stutter. “Just tired.” I could hear the guys goof off in the background as Billy and I stare at each other. I could see Jake and Bella coming closer, no doubt he was going to bring her home. My sister looked at me apprehensively.

“You know I care about you, don’t you, Maggie?” I nodded again.

“Yeah. You were always like another father to me.”

“And you understand that I’m concerned about the situation you’re in?” Damn, he does know.

“Yes.” My voice was barely a whisper now. Before Billy could say anything else, I found my voice and jumped in. “You know I don’t have a choice, Billy.” His eyes darkened.

“I know. I just want to warn you about what you’re getting into, and the consequences if you decide to become more involved with them.” I looked down at my feet, body trembling slightly.

“I know that too.” I stiffened as Billy grabbed my hand gently.

“No matter what happens, I’ll always care for you Maggie.” That surprised me. I looked up and saw a small smile on Billy’s face, but his eyes told another story. I offered a small smile before I turned and headed back to my car. I headed home with a mind full of information and a heavy heart, unknown about the growing threat in Seattle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, in Seattle. Third Person POV

The group of newborns were getting out of control, and Riley knew it. Many of the newborns he gathered already lie dead before him, victims of their own kind. They needed to control their anger and thirst. Especially a young one he found cowering in a corner. Riley could only watch in shame as one newborn busted open another one’s head off. That’s when he had enough. He grabbed a piece of a broken car and slammed it on the ground. “Something’s coming. Something bigger than any one of us alone. And if you can’t...Control yourselves, we’re all going to die.” He took a moment to observe chaos that had occurred. Someone already set the wrecked car on fire. “What’s done is done. Just...Clean up after yourselves.”   
Unbeknownst to Riley or any of the newborns, the Volturi had already sent some of their guard, and four of them were watching the chaos from above.

“They’ve already drawn too much attention,” muttered Demetri, who was relieved that he was temporarily reassigned to another mission. Following his master’s mate was getting tiresome. Especially when she would always make it hard for him to follow her.

“So is our inaction. Others may begin to question the Volturi’s effectiveness.” Felix, the biggest one of them all, turned to look at Jane, the most dangerous of the Volturi guard.

“Let them.” Felix, upset that his coven’s reputation was on the line, was not pleased to hear what Jane had to say.

“Maybe we should consult with Aro.” Jane turned to cast her gaze on Felix, and sent him crumbling to the ground. 

“Aro’s decisions are being watched. Besides, he’s on a mission of his own. It would be unwise for us to interrupt him while he’s on his way to check on his mate.” Taking her gaze off Felix, Jane turned back to watch the chaos below. “Either we let them do what they were created for, or we end them. Decisions, decisions.”


	22. An Unexpected Visitor

I didn’t sleep well last night, partly because I was still disturbed by Billy’s story. I finally understand why the Quileutes have set a treaty with the Cullens. And why they have such an animosity for vampires. The story of the third wife had shook me to the core. Even though I did some research into the story before last night, it still chilled me to the bone hearing it from the lips of Billy himself. Afterall, I thought it was just a myth.

But what got me the most was what Billy told me right before I left. “I just want to warn you about what you're getting into, and the consequences if you decide to become more involved with them.” I kept replaying that line in my head, cursing to the heavens, asking why this was all happening to me. I felt a flash of annoyance at Bella, thinking that if she never got involved with Edward, I wouldn’t have to be forced to choose between a life of humanity and a life doomed to living in the shadows.

But then I felt horrible for thinking such things. Afterall, it wasn’t her fault that she fell in love with a vampire. Or that her blood was so appealing to Edward. In fact, if I had never followed her and Alice to Italy, I would still be free to live my life however I wished. And that’s when Rosalie’s words creeped back into my mind. “He’s one of the most powerful individuals of our kind. Whatever he wants, he gets.” 

That’s when I felt a growing anger towards Aro. Damn him! This is all his fault! It really was. He had his hooks, or teeth in this case, deep inside me. Subconsciously, I brought a hand up to my neck and rubbed it sensually. While I found the idea of immortality abhorrent, there was just something so sexy about a vampire biting someone in the neck. I remember when Bella showed me the mark on her wrist she got from the time she almost got killed by Victoria’s mate. 

I also remember thinking that Victoria’s mate was a complete pussy for biting her in the wrist. I mean, I suppose a vampire can get blood from biting anywhere on the human body. But come on! I think almost everybody equates vampires with drinking a human’s blood from their neck. And I’m no exception. 

Suddenly, I found myself wandering back to the deepest recesses of my mind, where I kept and suppressed all my thoughts about Aro. I found myself lost in thoughts of Aro teasing my neck with his mouth. Leaning against my desk, I slowly closed my eyes, letting myself get lost in the delicious images that started to form. I could feel something warm form in the pit of my stomach, and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from moaning.

Come on, Maggie. Stop trying to have feelings for Aro. He’s nothing but a monster. I glared out the window, clenching my jaw. A monster who has an undeniable sex appeal. Suddenly, I came back to my senses. Damn it, Maggie! I needed to get out of here, or I was going to be late for work. It was bad enough that my feelings for Aro were becoming more apparent, thus making it harder to fight them.

After work, I decided to head over to the Cullens to work more on my dress with Alice. I wanted to be as hands-on with this project as possible, and currently, I was having some mixed feelings on some of the decisions I made. Especially with my color choice. I wanted the dress to be a color that would look flattering on me and would not draw too much attention to my bump. As much as I hated Georgiana, I wasn’t going to be that petty and try to make myself the center of attention. Although I wouldn’t put it past Hannah to do something like that.

Rosalie joined Alice and I for a very lengthy discussion about my dress. I decided that instead of red, I wanted my dress to be midnight blue and I wanted it to sparkle. For some reason the reception was outside at night and I thought the midnight blue would help hide my bump a bit more. Then I was undecided if I wanted it to be knee length or floor length. But then I remembered what my legs looked like, so I made up my mind on that one real fast. I wasn’t sure about the neckline though, considering what was on my back. So I was just going to let Alice figure that out. Along with all the other things I wasn’t sure about. Alice kept so many questions about what I wanted. How the hell was I supposed to know what kind of fabric I wanted? Or what kind of sleeves? 

I internally screamed when she asked about the waistline. I knew she didn’t mean it intentionally, but my pregnancy brain caught a fat joke somewhere in that question. Like it even mattered anyway. I looked like I was going to explode! As long as it didn’t make me look any bigger than I was and I didn’t get stuck in it, I didn’t care about the damn waistline. Good lord, why is fashion so complicated?!

My brain felt fried after the whole thing was over. I followed Alice and Rosalie down the stairs, rubbing my temples. If I hadn’t been convinced to go to this wedding, I wouldn’t have this problem. Or better yet, Andy could’ve asked someone low maintenance to marry him and I could’ve just worn one of the dresses I got in Florida. Ugh.

Suddenly, I felt myself bump into something. Coming to my senses, I saw that it was Bella. I wonder what she was doing here. “Oh, sorry Bells. Didn’t see ya there.” But she wasn’t listening. Neither Was Edward, Carlisle, Jasper, or Emmett. I looked up at the TV, and could figure out why.

“Seattle is in a state of terror. Police are baffled by the escalating murders and disappearances. Theories range from a vicious gang to a wildly active serial killer.” Carlisle then turned the TV off, most likely disturbed by the news as well. Heck, everyone in this room was probably disturbed by the news. Including myself. I mean, I didn’t even recognize Seattle anymore. Sure, stuff got bad when I was living there, but it wasn’t this bad before.   
“It’s getting worse. We might have to do something.”

“It takes more than one of our kind to cause the damage they’re reporting.” Of fucking course it’s a bunch of vampires. No wonder there wasn’t the slightest bit of evidence being left behind. I wonder if Victoria was a part of this? “Quite a few more. They’re undisciplined, conspicuous…”

“It’s newborns.” I shifted my gaze from Jasper to Edward. What the heck was a newborn? I could see Bella was just as confused as I was.

“What? Like new vampires?” Oh my god I was so dumb! Think, Maggie. Think! I mentally gave myself a facepalm.

“In the first few months after the change…”

“That’s when we’re at our most uncontrollable. Vicious, insane with thirst…” I stared at Jasper, feeling apprehensive. 

“Something to look forward to.” I looked up and saw Emmett smirking, quite evilly. It kind of creeped me out. I glanced over at Bella, who also looked a bit disturbed.

“Emmett…”  
“What? I’m just warning them about what they’re in for! For all we know Maggie could go mad with power and take out the whole city of Volterra in one night!” I glared at him. This wasn’t funny. Especially now after he brought Aro into it.

“Emmett, no.” Still grinning, he raised his hands into an ‘I don’t know’ position.

“Come on, Maggie. You gotta admit that was pretty funny.” I just sighed and shook my head.

“No one’s trained these newborns, but this isn’t random.” 

“Someone’s creating an army.” That got Emmett excited. He stood up from the couch and jumped off.

“Oh, now we’re definitely going to Seattle!” I couldn’t help but smile a bit. As much as Emmett was a butthead, he was pretty funny. You had to admire his spirit.

“An army of vampires?” Geeze, Bella. No need to repeat it. I’m already starting to get scared. 

“And they’ve been created to fight someone.”

“But we’re the only clan even close to Seattle.” I looked up at Edward, slightly amazed. I mean, they can’t be the only vampires in this whole damn state. That made me wonder how many vampires were actually out there. As scared as I was, I was intrigued.

“Regardless of why they were made, if we don’t put a stop to them, the Volturi will.” I felt the room go cold, and I swear it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. I felt everyone’s eyes burn a hole through me. Thankfully, Carlisle broke the silence. “I’m surprised they let it go on this long,” he sighed.

“Maybe they’re behind it. In Italy, I read Aro’s mind. He wants me and Alice to join them. But he knows we’ll never choose him as long as our family is still alive.” Suddenly, I felt rage in my stomach. I turned my head to glare at Edward. How dare he?! The nerve of him thinking Aro would do such a thing! Wait, what? Where was this coming from?!

“An army could solve that for him.” I glared at Jasper.

“Especially now that Maggie’s involved. Aro knows she won’t go willingly to join him.” 

“Hey, if they are involved, maybe we can ask Maggie to be our emissary and ask Aro not to kill us.” What the fuck, Emmett?! 

“Ok, that’s enough!” Everyone turned to look at me. “First of all Emmett, shut the hell up.” He threw his hands up again, feigning shock. But I knew he still found all of this funny. As much as I liked Emmett, he could be a jackass at times. Softening my gaze slightly, I looked at Carlisle. “Carlisle, you don’t really think that the Volturi are behind this, do you? I mean, this doesn’t seem like something Aro would do.” It only took me a few moments before I realized what I just said. Fuck! Now everyone’s going to think I’m in love with him! Please don’t let anyone say anything! I knew Edward wouldn’t say anything, since he could read my thoughts, but I didn’t trust Emmett.

Thankfully, Carlisle looked at me without judgement. Perhaps even with sympathy? “Maggie, I lived with the Volturi for two decades. I’ve seen them do some terrible things in order to keep our kind in line-”

“Ok, but this seems a little extreme though. I mean, I thought the Volturi tried to be inconspicuous?”

“They do, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t take drastic measures to get what they want.”

“But to create a bunch of vampires and let them go wild? I don’t think so!”

“You seem so sure that the Volturi aren’t behind this, Maggie. What has you sticking you up for them all of a sudden?” I narrowed my eyes at Jasper. There was something about his tone I didn’t like.

“I’m not sticking up for them! I’m just-”

“It’s because she’s in love with Aro.” Damn it, Emmitt! I turned to look at the chuckling fool and gave him a nasty glare, which shut him up pretty fast. Good.

“As I was saying, I wasn’t sticking up for them. Sure, they may be behind this because Edward and Alice won’t join them until you’re all gone, but think about it. If they wanted to kill you, they would do it without warning. Creating an army like this would only give you more time to hide!” I turned to leave, tired of hearing the needless insults about Aro. Before walking down the stairs to leave, I turned to look at them and said, “Not that you guys have anything to worry about. Aro’s after me.” And with that, I turned and walked down the stairs.

After I left, I decided to drive up to the Rez. Not only to see the guys, but to clear my head. This whole thing was ridiculous. There was no way in hell that Aro would be behind it all. As much as I believe that he’s a giant maniac, there was no way he’d pull off a stunt like this public. Now if the murders and disappearances were timed out better, I may have thought the same thing Edward and Jasper thought, but this was crazy. I could tell how well the Volturi valued secrecy from that day in Italy.

Suddenly, I felt someone put their hands on my shoulders, and I nearly fell off the driftwood log I was sitting on. Nearly shouting, I could hear familiar laughter in the background. I knew it was the guys trying to be funny. “What the fuck, you guys! Are you trying to make me pee my pants? Because that will happen!” This was true. I was starting to pee more often and it was driving me insane. I had to be careful how hard I laughed or sneezed. It was getting annoying. 

“Gross!”

“Hey, next time don’t scare the crap out of me, you moron!” I glared at Paul. Quil and Embry only laughed as they all sat down beside me on the log. No one said anything as we watched the waves. It wasn’t that bad of a day. Cloudy, but sunny. God, I loved it here. I would definitely miss it. “So where’s our friend Jacob these days? Is he still acting like a whiny little baby?”

“Pretty much. He and Bella went for a walk somewhere and he’s trying to make her choose him over Edward.” I snorted.

“Oh please, there’s no way Bella would leave Edward. Believe me, I know my own sister.”

“We tried telling him that, but he wouldn’t listen.” I saw Embry roll his eyes.

“Yeah, he doesn’t believe she doesn’t love him too. Jake’s got a pretty thick skull.” I snorted again.

“Do you think if we hit him over the head with a rock his head will crack open?” We all burst out laughing, and I had to clutch my stomach because I was laughing so hard. Suddenly, I felt myself pee a little. “Damn it, you guys!” Quil looked at me.

“You alright Maggie?” 

“No! You idiots just made me pee a little!” They all scooted away a little, shouting. Rolling my eyes, I turned my gaze back out into the ocean, watching seagulls in the distance. The guys stopped shouting and the only thing that we could hear were gulls and waves. I felt a chill go down my back, even though it was almost the end of May. There was an elephant in the room, and we all knew what it was about. I braced myself for the conversation because I knew one of these idiots was going to bring it up.

“So, uh...What’s going to happen with you, Maggie? You know, since Bella decided to become a blood sucker, what’s gonna happen with you?” I looked down at my feet.

“Honestly guys...I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it since what’s going on in Seattle. I mean, I do have feelings for him but I’m torn. Not only don’t I know what those feelings are, but if I chose the same thing Bella has chosen, I would lose so much. And I don’t want to lose you guys!” I buried my head in my knees, and I felt one of them put their arms around me.

“But you wouldn’t lose us. We’d still be right here.” 

“But I wouldn’t be able to come on the Rez. Bella told me about your treaty with the Cullens.”

“So why don’t you just stay human then?” I looked up at Embry.

“It’s not that easy. Alice, one of the Cullens, can see into the future and she’s almost certain that I will become one of them. Believe me when I say I’ve been struggling with this ever since I found out.”

“Well, whatever you decide, we got your back.” Wait, what? I looked at Paul incredulously. The last time he got all pissy about this. Why did he change his mind?

“Are you serious right now Paul?” He just shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

“That’s what friends are for, Mags.” 

“But last time you said-”

“Look, I know I was being a jerk the last time, and I didn’t hear you out. And I’m sorry. But you’ve been hanging out with us ever since we were 4.” I crossed my arms and tried to hide my smile.

“Babysitting is not hanging out.”

“No, but you still hung out with us anyway when we were older. We’ve been through a lot, and no matter what happens, we’ll always be friends.” Aw, Quil! I felt myself tear up as they pulled me in for a group hug.

“You guys are idiots, you know that?”

“We know.”

“But hey, if you ever need us to kick some vampire butt, you just give us a call.” We all laughed as we stayed hugging each other for a while.

I decided to go back to Emily’s place with the guys (she made more muffins!) before heading back home. It was getting dark, and I didn’t want dad to worry. He was in the living room when I got home.

“Hey kiddo, where’ve you been?”

“Down at the Rez.”

“Did you see your sister at all? I knew she was going to meet Jake.” 

“Nah, I didn’t see her.” Speak of the devil, I saw a car pull up in the driveway, and I knew it had to be Jake’s. I went out the door to see what was going on because Jake got out too. “Hey Bells!” But she didn’t answer. Wait, what the fuck was wrong with her hand? It was all wrapped up. Before I knew it I heard another car zoom up, and Edward got out the car so fast, I almost got knocked towards the ground when he stepped in front of Jake, grabbing him by the arm.

“Edward-”

“If you ever, touch her against her will again-” Woah, this was getting ugly fast. Bella kept pleading with Edward to stop, but he wouldn’t listen.

“She’s not sure what she wants!” Oh my god, Jake! Are you really this stupid?

“Let me give you a clue. Wait for her to say the words.”

“Fine. And she will.”

“Jacob, just go. Ok?” Suddenly, I heard the door open. Oh shit, dad must’ve heard the ruckus. He came running and stepped in front of the two.

“Hey, hey, hey! Easy guys! Easy. Let’s take it down a notch, alright?” Aw man, and it was just getting good.

“Yeah, don’t make him break out the tazer!” I started laughing, trying to break the tension.

“Maggie, please.” When dad looked at me I blushed and stopped laughing. I knew it wasn’t the time to laugh, and I kind of felt like a hypocrite after what happened with Emmett today. But man, did I want to see these two fight to the death. Dad looked back and forth between Edward and Jake. “What’s going on?”

“I kissed Bella.” Wait, what? I could feel myself wanting to laugh again, but I held it in. Dad looked incredulous. “And she broke her hand. Punching my face.” What?! Now I couldn’t help it. I was laughing so hard I had to bend over. Good thing I was leaning against Jake’s car because I’m pretty sure I would’ve fallen down. “It was a total misunderstanding.” Yeah, I’m sure it was. 

“Hey, way to go Bella! I didn’t know you had it in you!” No matter how hard I was laughing I was just as shocked as dad. Bella couldn’t hurt a fly no matter how hard she tried.

“Maggie, just go inside.” 

“Come on dad, you’re no fun-”

“Now, Maggie.” I stopped laughing and grimaced at him before turning to go back into the house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aro POV  
I finally made it to Washington after our jet landed in an undisclosed location in Canada. I brought the Guard with me to monitor the situation in Seattle, in case there was a need for the Volturi to take action. It wasn’t hard to find where Margaret lived. Not only did Demetri tell me where she lived but I could smell her blood for miles. And it was intoxicating. I had to stop myself on the journey to feed so I wouldn’t end up drinking from her by accident. How I look forward to that day where I can finally sink my teeth into that beautiful neck of hers, making her one of us. To be my queen for all eternity. But I had to be careful. I had already frightened her enough. I didn’t want to scare her away.

I found the house where she lived with her sister, young Isabella, and their father. What I found was intriguing. There was Edward fighting with another boy. And while I was usually not the one to eavesdrop, I was rather intrigued. They were fighting over young Isabella. And while I found the scene amusing, I don’t know why they were fighting at all. There was nothing attractive about her at all. Except her blood maybe.

But that’s when I sensed Margaret’s blood, and I had to close my eyes and restrain myself as the sweet combination of roses and lilacs hit my nose. I gripped the nearest tree to try to ease some of the tension that had pooled inside of me. Opening my eyes, I gasped a little when I saw her. There she was. My Margaret. Looking absolutely lovely in a white sweater and...what were those things that humans called them? Oh yes, yoga pants. I had to chuckle myself at what humans wore these days. But my, did she grow bigger since the last time I saw her. Something tells me she was about to have her baby quite soon. I found myself saddened by the fact as pregnancy did suit her. It suited her quite well.

As I heard Edward fight with this other boy, I could hear Margaret laughing, and I closed my eyes again. She had the most beautiful laugh I ever heard. I had to stop myself from running over there and pulling her in my arms. Then her father came out and made her go inside, which angered me a little. I had to bide my time before I could somehow sneak inside to see her.

Suddenly, I sensed someone behind me. Another vampire. No wait, it was two. However, I did know who one of them was. “I’m surprised to see you here, my friend.” I should’ve known Carlisle would be here. He did say in his last letter that his coven were taking extra precautions. I slowly turned and smiled slightly at Carlisle and his mate.

“What a pleasant surprise, Carlisle. It’s been ages.” He nodded amicably at me.

“It has, my friend. Might I ask what brings you to Forks?” Ah yes, skipping over the pleasantries, aren’t we Carlisle?

“I’ve come to check on young Margaret. Needless to say I wasn’t too happy with your last letter, Carlisle. I had to make sure she’s safe.”  
“You shouldn’t worry yourself, Aro. My family and I have it all under control.” I let the smile fall from my face and my gaze hardened.

“Oh really? Then can you explain why you let some rogue vampire enter the home where my mate lives, where she could’ve possibly been killed?”

“Aro, we had no intention of that happening. We were not expecting this individual to come by.”

“But you were expecting another to come after Isabella.” Carlisle nodded.

“Yes, but this vampire is unknown to us. We almost caught the other one but she got away.” I felt myself getting angrier as each minute passed with Carlisle here. Luckily, I was not the one to lose my temper so easily, unlike Caius. But I did let my anger be known.

“Well you better make sure you find her quickly and put an end to all this. I do not wish to have my mate in any more danger, or there will be consequences Carlisle. Do you understand me?” Carlisle’s mate looked uneasy as she clung to him, but he didn’t betray his emotions, something I respected about him.

“Aro, we’re doing everything we can to make sure both Maggie and Bella are safe. You have my word she will not be harmed.” I looked at him for a moment before nodding my head.

“See that you do. I expect you to keep writing to me, Carlisle.” He nodded before the pair ran off. I sighed before taking a look at the spot where Edward and Isabella were. The spot was now empty, the other boy had gone home and everyone else inside. Now was my time.

From what Demetri told me, Margaret lived upstairs, in the attic. That isn’t very fitting for a Volturi queen, I thought. I had to be careful. The lights were still on inside and I didn’t want to expose myself. I found my opportunity in a big tree that stood in front of the house. Trying not to make a sound, I expertly climbed up without making a sound. The room with the bay window must be Isabella’s. It was especially tricky to pass that window without being spotted, as the lights were on and I could sense that Edward was in there. There was no doubt he would sense me, but I’m sure he wouldn’t say anything.

I finally reached Margaret’s window, which was open luckily. I could see that she wasn’t in her room so I took my chance and leaped from the tree to the chimney, where I managed to pull myself through the window. But at a cost. I wasn’t anticipating a desk by the window and I almost fell through. Luckily I was able to catch myself before I fell. I did, however, knock something over onto the floor. Taking a closer look, I noticed it was a framed photograph of Margaret and that...boy. The boy she still had feelings for. I wanted to rip the photograph in half and destroy it, but I could hear Margaret’s voice. “I’m going to bed now, dad. I’m feeling tired.” 

Blast it! I was going to get caught. I didn’t have any choice but to crawl under the bed. I thought it totally undignified for a Volturi leader to be holed up this way, but I didn’t want Margaret to see me. Luckily, her blanket was long enough to cover my hiding spot as I heard Margaret climb up her ladder. She was struggling, I could tell. She must be nearing birth soon. “Ugh, you’re killing me smalls.” Who was she talking to? She couldn’t see me, so who...But then it hit me. She was probably talking to the little one inside her. I think I read somewhere it was common for women these days to talk to their babies this way. I wanted to chuckle, but then I remember why I was hiding.

I heard her pull up the ladder before standing up and patting over to one part of her small room. I was brave enough to take a peek out from under the bed. I only lifted the blanket slightly enough so she wouldn’t notice it moving. I heard a drawer open then close before I could see Margaret start to undress. No, I mustn't look! As much as I wanted to see her that way...But maybe just one look at her feet.

I took another peek, forcing my eyes to stay on her feet, her toes looking a strange color. Did something occur over the thousands of years that humans somehow evolved to having colorful claws? But then I remembered that Heidi does something similar to her hands. What was it? Oh yes, they call it painting one's nails. That’s right. 

I couldn’t help but gaze up her legs a little, enjoying her bare skin. But as soon as her legs were exposed, they were covered up by a nightgown that fell down from above. I watched as she kicked her clothes that landed on the floor to the side before pausing. Her feet turned towards the direction of the window, and I froze. What if she saw the picture?

I watched as her feet slowly made her way to the broken glass. Not only was I afraid she was going to discover me but that she was going to cut herself. I didn’t need to be enticed by any spilt blood. That wouldn’t end up well. “What the fuck…” Such a mouth Margaret had! That certainly wasn’t how a young lady talked. I was going to have to do something about that mouth of hers later. My mind then wandered to what her lips felt like, and how soft they would be if I kissed them. I felt myself stiffen at the thought. Clenching my fists, I did my best not to moan out. From my hiding space, I watched as Margaret bent down, or attempted to at least, and picked up the frame. I admired every curve of hers as she set the frame on her desk and sighed.

I heard her footsteps once more before the room went dark, and I felt the bed above me dip a little as she crawled in bed. I waited a few moments before I slowly crawled out. The room wasn’t totally dark, as I finally got a good look around. She had little lights humans used for Christmas decorations hung all around her room. She also had photographs of herself and other friends hanging by string, along with giant pictures of musicians she liked. Celine Dion and Elton John I recognized but not anyone else. The Backstreet Boys? And what was this? N’SYNC? I had to chuckle. Humans had such a terrible taste in music. 

But I was more interested in the photographs that lined the walls on string. There were photos of a younger Margaret, a Margaret in high school, Margaret with short hair. I had to smile at each one of them. Except for the ones that had that boy in them. I came across one that seemed to be taken not that long ago. It looked like it was taken at Margaret’s birthday party, judging from the sign that was in the background. My heart stopped. There was Margaret, in a rather revealing dress that shimmered like gold. She was by herself, but holding a cake that looked like a unicorn. Another strange human creation. She was smiling up at me, and I reached out and caressed the photograph.

I couldn’t help myself. I untied it from the wall and slipped the photograph into my pocket. Now I would have something to look at in my office. I turned to look at Margaret, who was deep in sleep. Oh, she looked so beautiful. I wanted to reach out and touch her. Curiosity got the best of me as I was intrigued by what she looked like with her hair down. She always wore it up, and that had me frustrated. Trying not to touch her, I somehow managed to untangle her hair and watched it fall slowly. I had to bite my knuckles as she groaned a bit. Leaning over her head, I gently placed my lips on her forehead, surprised to see a smile form on her face. “Goodnight, cara mia.” And with that, I turned to take my leave, being careful not to fall out the window this time.


	23. Back to Italy

The month of May soon came to an end, and before I knew it, the day of Bella’s graduation was soon upon us. And while I was excited for my sister, I was also feeling apprehensive as the month of June arrived. My stomach was churning, and it wasn’t from my pregnancy. I couldn’t tell what I was more nervous about, watching the love of my life get married to someone else or the idea of running into Aro. It was unknown whether or not he would make an appearance, but it still made me uneasy just thinking about it.

Uneasy or filled with desire. WHAT? NO! There was no way I had any desire to see Aro on this trip. Absolutely none. Are you sure? Your dreams say otherwise. Piss off, inner me! Shaking my head, I stretched before looking at the clock on my dresser. 6:15. Great. I don’t know why I was waking up so early. It could be from the weird pains I was having, but who knows. I wasn’t sure what to expect with my third trimester just around the corner. And frankly, I wasn’t really thinking about it either, considering what’s been going on. But I probably should be thinking about my baby shower. And baby names. Oh lord, I can’t believe I haven’t started on that yet!

Sighing, I decided it was time to get out of bed. I needed a shower to get my mind off things. Once I got in the bathroom, I let out a sigh of relief as the water poured down me like a waterfall. After I washed myself up, I spent a little extra time in the shower than needed. After this strange, recurring dream I’ve been having, I sure did need the extra time. For some reason, I kept imagining Aro somehow managed to sneak up into my room and he would just sit on my bed and stroke my hair. And I could’ve sworn one night he was actually there because I felt a cold chill run down my back that I’ve never felt before. But hey, for all I know it could’ve been some side effect of pregnancy I didn’t know about.

After I got a shower, I slipped on my bathrobe and wrapped my towel around my head before heading downstairs where I found both dad and Bella sitting in the kitchen, eating their breakfast. “Hey, hey, hey! There’s the little graduate! How’re you feeling, Bells? Nervous? Excited?” I wrapped my arm around Bella’s shoulders and hugged her from behind.

“A little. I’m just glad it’s all over.” I laughed and patted her shoulder.

“Yeah, I know the feeling. Whatever you do, don’t trip. Alright?” I turned to walk and look for something to eat myself.

“Why, did you trip?”

“No!” Crap, I answered too quickly.

“She did,” my dad chimed in before taking a sip of his coffee, revealing one of my darkest secrets. I turned and looked exasperatedly at my dad. 

“Dad!” 

“What? You did trip, remember?” Suddenly, I felt my face burn as hot as the sun. I turned my back and focused my attention inside the fridge. I found yogurt before snapping the fridge shut.

“Of course I remember!” I hissed as I tore the top of the yogurt and grabbed a spoon from the drawer. “The whole school saw! I’m just glad they blacked out and forgot the whole thing at all the grad parties that went on that night.” I dipped the spoon in the yogurt and took a bite as Bella looked over her shoulder at me, smirking a little.

“So does that mean you went out and blacked out too?” I was about to answer when I saw dad look up from the paper he was reading, giving me a suspicious look. I felt my face flush and I grinned sheepishly before shoving a spoonful of yogurt into my mouth, chuckling nervously.

“Of course not, Bells. Why on earth would you say that? Speaking of parties, are there any going on tonight?” I wasn’t going to let dad know of my illegal escapades.

“Yeah. Alice is having everyone over. You wanna come?” I gave my sister a side eye from across the room. Hmm, should I spend my night sitting around letting my baby kick my guts or party with a bunch of adolescents? Heck with it, you only live once. And since I was probably going to die sooner than any of my friends, why not? I just wish I could drink.

“I have to meet up with Alice for my final fitting, so I’ll meet you there?” I tried to act as casually as I could depositing my empty yogurt container in the garbage and spoon in the sink. I didn’t want Bella to notice me trying so desperately to distract myself from my upcoming trip to Italy.

“Sounds good. I’ll see you at the ceremony, ok?”

“Hey, don’t forget your cap and gown!”  
“Crap!” I had to laugh as I watched my sister run back up the stairs and down again in a golden blur. But once she left, the smile on my face slowly fell. Suddenly, I felt old. I knew it was totally cliche, but there was something sad about seeing my little sister grow up. Staring absentmindedly at the door, I felt tears start to break free. Fuck, not again! Lately I’ve been feeling extremely moody. Any slight inconvenience set me off. One minute I could be in a rage about something silly, and the next I could be sobbing about my weight. 

Thank god Bella was there, because I was starting to sense that dad was becoming uncomfortable with having a hormonal pregnant lady in his house. I couldn’t blame him either. Dad was never good with dealing with emotional stuff. Not wanting to make dad feel uncomfortable I quickly wiped my eyes and excused myself to go back to my room to get some sleep before the ceremony later.

The graduation ceremony was held not too long after school let out for the day. Wearing a white maxi dress with pink flowers, I was sandwiched in between dad and another parent in the gymnasium of Forks High School. God, I forgot how hot it gets in here. I watched as a sea of gold came walking in with the band playing the usual graduation tune. I called out Bella’s name and waved to her as she came walking in holding Edward’s hand. I guess I embarrassed her because she tried to duck as she made her way to her seat, which was only a few rows ahead from where dad and I were sitting. Wait, why was Edward sitting next to her? His last name starts with a C! This was driving me crazy. Why were they all sitting out of order?!  
But my OCD settled as the ceremony got underway. I watched as one of Bella’s friends made her way to the podium. The one that seemed like a snob. What was her name again? I looked at the program they handed out before the ceremony. Oh yeah, Jessica. I know I shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but Jessica didn’t seem the valedictorian type. When Bella told me all about how her speech was going to change lives, I had to scoff. I don’t know what Bella sees in her for a friend. Now Angela, she seemed like a sweet girl. From what Bella has told me, I don’t know how she didn’t end up valedictorian. 

I tried to pay attention to Jessica’s speech, but I was starting to overheat a little. Pushing up my sleeves, I decided to put all my energy into the speech. “When we were 5, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. Our answers were things like astronaut, president, or in my case a princess.” I inwardly scoffed. She did seem the type to say that. But then again, I said the same exact thing. “When we were 10, they asked again. We answered rockstar, cowboy, or in my case, a gold medalist.” In my case, a mermaid. “But now that we’ve grown up, they want a serious answer. Well, how about this? Who the hell knows.” 

I was one of the many people that cheered when she said that. I wanted to shout can I get an amen, but I didn’t want to embarrass myself any further. I may have misjudged Jessica. What she said couldn’t have been said any better. I remember back to my senior year of high school when all of us met with counselors on what we wanted to do after high school. I mentioned to my counselor that I wanted to go to college, but I didn’t know what I wanted to be. And to tell the truth, I still don’t know what I want to do with my life. Although, what difference does it matter now? Aro will probably keep me in a gilded cage.

“This isn’t the time to make hard and fast decisions. This is the time to make mistakes. Take the wrong train and get stuck somewhere. Fall in love. A lot,” I felt myself tense up when she said that. I bit my lip and looked down at my folded hands, my mind wandering off. I thought of Andy, my first love, whom I still held a great deal of affection for. But then I thought of Aro, who had completely bewitched me and held my soul in his hands as I tried to fight the feelings that were slowly creeping up to the surface. “Major in philosophy because there’s no way to make a career out of that. Change your mind, and change it again because nothing is permanent. So make as many mistakes as you can. That way someday when they ask us what we want to be, we won’t have to guess. We’ll know.”

By then I had completely drowned out the audience. I guess Bella was right when she said the speech would be amazing. It definitely got me to thinking about this whole vampire thing, and my feelings for Aro. I knew deep down there wasn’t anything I could do to fight all this. As much as I loved Andy, there was just something about Aro I couldn’t resist. 

But my thoughts were interrupted as they started out handing out the diplomas. I knew it would be a while before it was Bella’s turn. I was starting to sweat now. I began to use the program as a fan when unsolicited thoughts of Aro began to invade my mind. No, no, no, no! Stop it! I closed my eyes and bit my lip as I tried to suppress the images. Thankfully, I felt dad’s hand on my harm. “You ok, kiddo? You look really red. Maybe you should step outside.” Thank god he said something, otherwise I might have gotten a full blown nosebleed.

“No, I’m fine. Just hot, that’s all. I don’t want to miss Bella.” Dad looked at me like he didn’t believe me but he turned his attention back to the stage. Speaking of Bella, it was almost her turn! I was sitting on the edge of my chair now, filled with anticipation. When Bella’s name got called, both dad and I jumped up and clapped. “Woo! Go Bella!” People stared at me, but I didn’t care. I was so proud of her. And I loved embarrassing her. From the way she walked off the stage, I definitely could tell she was embarrassed. And she didn’t even trip!

The rest of the ceremony went without incident. Once the graduating class turned their tassels and tossed their caps in the air, it was all over. Dad and I met Bella after she went to pick her actual diploma from wherever they made them pick it up from. I was the first one to pull her into a hug in the wooded area that surrounded the school. “There she is! Congrats Bells!” By then, she already took off her gown, and the whooping and cheering from other kids filled the air.

“Thanks!” She hugged me back and I pulled back to look at her, smiling.

“You didn’t even trip!” We both laughed.

“Nope!” Dad came over and put both arms around us, with Bella on his left side and me on his right.

“I’m proud of ya, Bells. Can’t wait to see what you do next. Can’t wait to see what both of you girls will do next. Both of you are my biggest accomplishments.” I felt my face heat up.

“Dad…” I felt so awkward, and I’m sure Bella did too. I mean, he had no idea what was going to happen to us. And that made me a little sad. “That’s not true.”

“Yes it is. Well, you’ll see one day, when you have kids,” dad turned to look at me. “And in about 18 years Maggie, you’ll see what I’m talking about.” I glanced at Bella, who looked really uncomfortable. We both shared a knowing look that went unnoticed by dad as we walked towards the parking lot.

Before Bella and I headed out to the Cullens, we went to grab a bite to eat with dad at The Lodge. And man oh man, was the place packed. Dinner dragged on for what seemed like an eternity. Dad socialized with almost everyone’s parents as Bella and I kept our eyes locked with each other. Both of us knew Jessica’s speech got us to think about what lies ahead for the both of us. Suddenly, Bella made an excuse that she needed to go help Alice set up, and I followed her. I couldn’t bear to sit there much longer, with everyone flaunting their mortality in my face.

Once we arrived at the Cullen’s, Bella and I sat in her truck, not saying a word. Finally, I couldn’t stand the silence anymore. “You ok, Bells? You seem tense.”

“Yeah, I’m just…”

“You’re just, what?”

“It’s nothing.” Before she could get out, I grabbed her arm.

“Bella, we agreed that we wouldn't hide secrets from each other. Now, what’s the matter?”

“I’m just worried about the situation in Seattle…” Oh boy. I knew where this was going.

“And Victoria,” I quipped, finishing her sentence.

“Yeah.” I sighed heavily as I rubbed her hand.

“Hey. Everything’s going to be ok. Trust me. We’re going to get through this.”

“You think so?” At this point, we got out of the truck and started walking towards the house. I could already hear the loud music blaring from speakers inside. And I could tell that Alice had gone above and beyond for this party.

“I know so.”

“What makes you so confident?” That made me stop in my tracks as I froze up a bit. Crap! Should I tell her what I’ve been up to or not? “Maggie?”

“Oh, just intuition I guess.” Yeah, like I was going to tell her I was sneaking off to Olympia to do some target practice with a friend of Reggie’s. Good ole Reggie. Always coming through when I need him. Even though I didn’t exactly tell him why I wanted to learn how to shoot a gun, he went with it. He thought I was pretty badass.

Before Bella could respond, Alice came running out to greet us. “Maggie! I’m glad you came. I can’t wait for you to see your dress!” Before I knew it, I was being whisked inside, giving my sister a shrug as Alice dragged me up the upsteps. As soon as I was inside, my vision went dark. She blindfolded me.

“Alice, what the hell?!” 

“Sorry Maggie, but I’m not taking any chances.” I groaned and rolled my eyes as I carefully moved with her as she continued to drag me upstairs and around corners. I could hear the chatter of adolescents going wild, celebrating their newfound freedom.

We finally got where we wanted to, which I assumed was Alice’s massive closet. And before I knew it, I could feel my clothes being yanked off me. “Hey!” But Alice ignored me as I felt the cool air hit my skin. I let her guide me into something that felt so smooth and delicate. Wait, was this satin?

I heard a zipper as I felt the dress enclose me completely. Despite not seeing it, I can tell this probably the best dress I’ve ever worn. I was starting to grow impatient. “Alice, when can I see?”

“Just hold on! I still need to get a few things.” What more did she need to get? I thought she finished it? I huffed in annoyance as she putzed around before I could feel her hands undo the blindfold. “Alright, you ready?” Something in her voice told me she was excited about this as well. She pulled the blindfold away, but I kept my eyes shut tight. I was too scared. I mean, what if I didn’t like it? “Aren’t you going to look, Maggie?” Ok, on three. One. Two. Three!   
I slowly opened my eyes, and the minute I caught my reflection in the mirror, I felt my breath get stuck in my airway. Holy fuck. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. Alice only smirked as my jaw dropped. The dress was more than I could imagine. It was navy blue with a sweetheart neckline decorated in crystals in the shape of swirls and flowers. The sleeves were also decked out in crystals, right down to the seam. And the best part? It had a cape! Now I didn’t have to feel self conscious about my back. “Well?”

“Alice, I...This is amazing! I mean, these crystals can’t be real.”

“Oh, they’re real alright. 100% diamond.” Wait what?! I looked closer at the design on my sleeves and she was right. They were diamonds.

“Alice, I can’t wear this. This is too much!” Tears started to form in my eyes as I became overcome. 

“Of course you can! I worked hard on this dress. But that’s not the best part!” She walked out of the closet for a moment before coming back holding two small boxes. She set them down on the vanity chair picking up one and handing to me.

“What’s this?” 

“Your mask. You said it was a masquerade, didn’t you?” Oh yeah. I forgot how extra this wedding was. When I took the lid off, I nearly dropped the box. The mask inside was almost as beautiful. And it looked like it was completely made out of diamonds and pearls. 

“Now Alice, this is way too much-” That’s when she grabbed the box out of my hands and placed the other one in my hands.

“Now open this one!” I did what she was told and found a simple but extremely beautiful necklace made out of small sapphires and pearls. Now I was really ready to cry.

“Alice, this is too much. I can’t accept all this.” The tiny pixie girl pulled me into a hug.

“Nonsense, Maggie! You and Bella are like family to me. I would do anything for you guys.” Ok, that was touching. Tears were flowing now as my pregnancy hormones and my gratitude for Alice overcame me.

“Alice, people are waiting...Oh Maggie!” Alice and I turned to see Bella and Rosalie standing in the doorway, looking quite shocked. They slowly approached us, and I couldn’t tell who looked more hilarious, Bella or Rosalie. For some reason, their expressions were making it hard for me to keep a straight face and I burst out laughing.

“Why do you guys look shocked about seeing a whale all dressed up?”

“Oh stop it, Maggie! You look beautiful!”

“You really do, Maggie. Just wait until Andy sees you.” When my sister mentioned Andy, I felt myself blush slightly as I imagined the image in my head.

“Forget him! Just wait until Aro sees her.” I felt myself blush more furiously as I turned to glare at Rosalie, who had the audacity to smirk.

“Get out!” Rosalie and Bella only laughed as they left to go back to the party downstairs. I could only pout as Alice helped me out of the dress, carefully hanging it back up in it’s protective bag.

Two days after the party, at the ungodly hour of 3am, Hannah picked me up to make the 3 hour trip to Seattle to make our flight at 9 am. “Han, why the hell are we leaving so early?!”

“Hey, we don’t want to miss our flight. And besides, I want to get going before the traffic gets heavy.”

“Han, it’s 3 am! What traffic are you talking about?”

“You just wait until 6:30!”

“Ugh, you’re such a dad!” Once my suitcases were in her trunk, and my dress hanging up in the back, I snuggled up in the passenger side of her car as we took off. “So is Andy going to meet us at the airport in Florence?” I yawned as I pulled my jacket around me, my arms cupping my belly.

“Yeah. I guess his father-in-law lent him one of his limos to pick us and bring us to Rome.” What? I whipped out from my sleep stupor and looked at her incredulously. 

“Hold on, I thought the wedding was in Volterra?”

“Well it was, but I guess that bimbo of his threw a hissy fit when things weren’t going her way so they moved to somewhere more scenic.” Hannah put quotation marks around scenic as she rolled her eyes.

“Wait, wait. How do you know about this?” Now it was her turn to look at me incredulously. 

“What, Andy didn’t tell you?”

“No. He hasn’t talked to me since our fight a couple months ago.” Hannah could only hmm as we continued to drive onto the highway. I sat back in my seat, dumbfounded. Why would Andy not tell me about this? Scoffing, I decided to forget about it for now and turned to look out the window, admiring the green scenery. But I wasn’t feeling right. I was conflicted. On one hand, having the wedding somewhere other in Volterra was a relief. I didn’t need to be reminded of it’s dark secrets it held. But then I was somehow sad that I wouldn’t be near Aro at all.


	24. Old Feelings

We finally landed at JFK 5 hours later at 2 in the afternoon, with some time to kill before our next flight to Florence. I was not looking forward to the 10 hour flight. The cramps I was feeling were getting worse. As we were sitting at our gate, I stroked my stomach absentmindedly as I clenched my teeth, trying to distract myself. “Dude, are you ok?” I turned to look at Hannah, who placed a hand on my arm gently. 

“I’m fine,” I sighed as I looked around at the busy terminal. I’m pretty sure Demetri wasn’t following me this time, but I still felt paranoid. “Just cramps, that’s all.”

“Are you sure you’re supposed to be flying this late? I mean, it sounds like you’re having Braxton Hicks.” I huffed in annoyance.

“First of all, don’t you put that evil on me. I’m not ready. Secondly, Dr. Cullen looked me over and gave me the ok. I mean, I only just started my seventh month. And roughly that’s…” I had to shut my eyes to try to recall how many weeks I was now. “About 30 weeks, give or take 2. And Dr. Cullen said I should be fine for another few weeks.”

“Are you sure? I mean, you either look like you’re farther along or you’re carrying twins.” I rolled my eyes.

“I wish people would stop saying that. Both Dr. Anderson and Dr. Cullen only found one baby, so there’s no way that’s going to happen.”

“Are you sure? Because I read somewhere that it’s possible the second twin can hide and-”

“Hannah, stop!” She jumped a little in her seat, and I immediately felt bad. “Look, I’m sorry,” I sighed. “This whole wedding thing is stressing me out.”

“Still can’t handle that the love of your life is marrying the absolute worst person on the planet?”

“I mean, yeah. I know it’s going to hurt, but it’s not going to hurt as much as I thought.”

“Why?” Crap, I said too much. I shook my head.

“Just forget it.”

“No, tell me.” I groaned while mumbling incoherently under my breath. “What was that?” I grumbled again, turning away slightly in my chair. “Come on, Maggie! What is it?” I crossed my arms across my chest and glared at the sea of people rushing about the terminal. When I didn’t say anything for a few minutes, I guess something must’ve clicked. “There’s someone else there?” Damn it! I bit my lip and averted my gaze. When I didn’t say anything further, I knew I just incriminated myself further. “Oh my god, there is someone else, is there?” I could only scowl as her excitement grew.

“Han, just leave it. Please.”

“Oh, come on! Tell me who it is!” God, I hated when she whined.

“Hannah, just leave it! Now let me get some sleep.” 

“Ok, ok! Have it your way, grumpy gills.” Sighing, I turned my body away from her and curled up the best I could before succumbing to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our flight didn’t end up leaving until 5 o’clock, and we didn’t touch down in Florence until around 3 in the morning. Exactly 24 hours after Hannah had picked me up. And holy crap was I exhausted. The flight was borderline unbearable. I was tossing and turning in my seat, the cramps becoming a little more frequent. But when we landed, we met up with everyone else from our group that was invited. Micah, Jennifer, Joss, Alana, Monique, Terrance, and Austin. They must’ve came on earlier flights. 

As I chatted with my friends, I felt someone tap me lightly on my shoulder. I turned around, only to find Andy standing right in front of me, smiling sheepishly. There he was, in all his magnificent glory. His blond hair was actually combed for once. And was that stubble on his face? Since when was he growing a beard? “Hiya, Mags.” When he said his nickname for me, I literally melted. Before I knew it, I had my arms wrapped around his neck, my face buried in his shoulder. I didn’t care if anyone else was staring, it felt so good to be in his arms again. 

Soon we pulled about, and I took a good look at him before smiling weakly. “Since when did you start growing a beard?” Andy laughed as he rubbed a hand against his chin. Oh my god!

“You like it? Georgiana’s making me shave it before...You know…” Both of us became extremely awkward when he brought up the wedding. 

“Well I like it,” I brought a hand up to his face and smiled weakly. “I think you should keep it.” We both stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. We both then jumped apart when someone yelled that they were tired. So we all went to baggage claim to get our things before heading out of the airport. I was so lost in a daze I didn't even realize Andy was holding my hand the whole time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The drive from Florence took another 3.5 hours to get to the River Palace Hotel in Rome. Everything was bought and paid for so no one had to worry about a thing. Apparently Georgiana's father paid for rooms for everybody, which was strangely nice. I almost forgot how rich her family was.

The hotel was perhaps the most beautiful hotel I've ever seen. Although, I was way too tired to absorb in any of my surroundings. I just wanted to get to bed. Even though it was now 6:30 in the morning. 

Once we got to our room, Hannah and I hung up our gowns in the closet, seeing as the wedding wasn't for another few days. There was only one bed, but that was fine by me. It would be like old times again, whenever we had sleepovers.

After we got settled, I thought Hannah would fall asleep right away. But I was wrong. I had my back to her, with my eyes already closed when she decided to disturb the peace and quiet we finally had. “So…” Opening one eye, I turned halfway to glare at her. 

“So, what?”

“I see you and Andy were getting pretty flirty earlier.” Oh boy, she was not going to let this go. I somehow managed to sit up, holding myself up by my hands.

“What are you talking about?” I hissed.

“Oh please, Maggie. The hug at the airport? The way he held your hand? The way you were snuggled up against in the limo? It’s so obvious he’s still in love with you!” I looked away from her prying gaze, fiddling with my hands.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Maggie, everyone could see it! Not only is he still in love with you, but you’re still in love with him.” I threw my hands up in frustration.

“So what if I am? What difference does it make? Nothing’s going to change!”

“Are you kidding me? We’re in Rome! For all we know this trip could end up like that Audrey Hepburn movie!”   
I pointed a finger at her and said, “Don’t you dare you use my favorite movie against me!” Sighing, I looked away. “Besides, that movie had a sad ending.” I layed back down and snuggled underneath the covers.

“Hey, for all we know, Andy could change his mind and run off with you!” I rolled my eyes as I turned my back on her. 

“Goodnight, Han.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that night, after we all got some much needed rest, we all went out for dinner at this really nice Italian restaurant. And boy, did it knock the socks of Olive Garden. I mean, Olive Garden is nice and all, but we’re talking about authentic Italian food here! And what was great was that it was just our close friends that were there. No one from Georgiana’s snooty group, including the queen bee herself, were there. We were all laughing, having a great time. Except for Andy. Something was making him nervous, I could tell. He kept glancing at me for some reason. I had a nagging feeling that what Hannah said earlier was true, but I immersed myself in the wonderful group of friends I was with.

Afterwards, we went wandering about, taking in the sites. We were all walking in our own little groups. Terrance and Austin went with Micah and Jennifer. Alana, Jennifer, and Monique stayed in their little trio. Hannah and I walked together of course, and poor Andy was lagging behind, hands in his pockets. I kept turning back to look at him, which was a mistake because Hannah caught me staring. “Dude, you’re doing it again.’”

“Doing what?”

“Don’t play dumb, Maggie. You and Andy have been glancing at each other all night. And you’re doing it again right now.” I guess Hannah was talking a bit loud because Andy looked right at us, or more importantly, at me. I gasped a little before turning my head forward again.

“I think something’s bothering him, Han.” She just rolled her eyes.

“Of course there’s something bothering him. He’s still in love with you. And there’s nothing he can do about it.” 

“Will you keep your voice down?!” I hissed as I barely turned to look back at Andy, who I’m pretty sure was listening because his face was suspiciously red. I huddled closer to Hannah as we continued to walk around. 

“What? All I’m saying is that there still is something between the two of you that both of you can’t hide.” I didn’t say anything else the rest of the walk. And I didn’t turn back to look at Andy as we got back to the hotel. 

We were just about to walk into our room when Andy pulled me aside. “Hey, uh...Can I talk to you, Mags?” I could see from the corner of my eye that Hannah was giving me that know-it-all look.

I turned and said to Hannah, “I’ll be right there, ok?” But she didn’t move. She continued to give me that look and mouth ‘I told you so.’ It was only when I glared at her did she finally shrug and went inside our room. I turned back to look at Andy, only to jump back a bit. He was standing strangely close to me, like he used to do. We bumped noses, and we both laughed nervously as we both stepped back a little. Was he doing this on purpose? I could only lean against the wall and look at him, almost the same way I used to.

“It’s great to see you again, Mags. I almost didn’t think you weren’t going to come.” My smile faded a little.

“Why did you think that?” Our hands brushed against one another, causing both of us to blush slightly.

“Well, I thought after the last time…” He looked away, grimacing. Without thinking, I grabbed his hand and squeezed his hand gently.

“Hey, it’s ok.” But he only shook his head as he tore his hand away.

“No, it’s not. I made a complete ass out of myself last time we talked, and I’m…” He began pacing back and forth, rubbing the back of his neck before looking at me again. “Well, I’m sorry Mags.” His eyes wandered down to my ever growing stomach. “I know you’re going to be a great mom.” I smiled a little as I looked down. I don’t know if it was my imagination, but I could’ve sworn he said, “I just wish it was with me.” 

Shocked, I looked up at him with wide eyes. “What was that?”

“I mean, uh...Hey, what would you say to spending the next couple of days with me, seeing all the sights?” I didn't know what to say. I was speechless now. My mouth literally dropped open before I let out a nervous laugh. 

“Oh come on, you’re pulling my leg.” I looked to see if Andy was laughing, but he wasn’t. He looked dead serious, which made my heart get caught in my throat.

“No, I’m not.” He took my hand in his, and I felt my knees buckle a little. It was a good thing I was leaning against the wall. “You’ve always said you wanted to visit Italy, right?” He was right. I took Italian back in high school, and I absolutely fell in love with the culture. I remember how I joked with Andy about how I wanted to go to Italy and reenact that scene from Lady and the Tramp where they were eating spaghetti, and Tramp nudged a meatball with his nose towards Lady. I nodded shakily, unsure what to do. Or think. “Well, now’s your chance. Why don’t we go sightseeing, just you and me?” Oh boy, this could lead to trouble.

“But what about Georgiana?” Ugh, I felt like washing my mouth out with soap after having her name in my mouth. Andy just shrugged.

“Oh, she’s too busy doing her pre-wedding rituals with her friends.” Did he just roll his eyes?! “She won’t even notice that I’m gone. So what do you say? Just you and me?” Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! What do I do?! On one hand, I really wanted to go. For all I knew, this could be the last time I would be able to see Andy. On the other hand though, this would no doubt lead to trouble. I mean, as much as I hated Georgiana, I didn’t want to be a homewrecker and ruin the wedding. And then I thought of Aro, and what he would think. 

Fuck, I was really torn. Here was the love of my life, about to get married to someone else, offered to spend all his free time with me, just days before his wedding. And then there was the maniacal vampire who could charm the devil himself, who has completely bewitched me body and soul. Damn, talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. 

But I was born without a filter. And without thinking, I agreed to spend my time with him. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy. He told me to meet him outside the hotel at 10 the next morning before kissing my cheek. I could only stare after him as he briskly walked back down the hall, caressing my cheek in the process. I stared down the empty hallway for a few moments before going back inside the room. But I walked straight into Hannah.

“Hannah, what the hell?” I rubbed my nose tenderly, glaring at her. “Were you listening?”

“So, what did he want?” Typical of her to ignore the question.

“He wants me to spend his last days as a free man with him. Alone.”

“Do you want to?”

“Yes.”

“So go!”

“But I don’t think I can. It’s a recipe for disaster!”

“Maggie, do something impulsive for once in your life!” Are you kidding? Haven’t I already acted impulsive enough?

“Are you crazy? I don’t want to become a homewrecker!”

“But you won’t! It’s not like you’re going to sleep with him or anything. It’s just two old friends catching up. What harm can that do?” You know, she was right.

“Alright, I’ll go.” Hannah squealed with delight as she pulled me into a hug. I could only roll my eyes. This wasn’t going to end well. At all.


	25. When in Rome

The next morning, I was waiting outside the hotel like Andy asked me to. Sitting on a bench wearing a floral maternity sundress, sweltering in Italy’s hot, summer sun. Good lord, I know I said I was getting sick of the rain back home, but this was ridiculous! I was going to have to get myself a fan.

Despite the heat, I sat there, mesmerized. I felt overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, and even the smell of this wonderful country. Little children were running about, shouting, and I couldn’t help but smile. I rubbed my stomach absentmindedly as I watched them play, letting my mind wander off. 

Suddenly, I heard a loud purring sound that broke me from my reverie. Jumping slightly, I looked up. To my relief, it was just some guy on a Vespa. A guy wearing really tight jeans that made his butt look...No! Stop it! Shaking my head, I turned my attention from the attractive biker, thinking he would just drive past. 

But I was wrong. Instead of going his own way, the guy ends up stopping before getting off his Vespa. Wait, why is he walking towards me? Shit, now I was getting scared. However, my nervousness soon turned to shock when the guy took off his helmet. It was Andy! I felt my mouth drop as I slowly stood up from the bench. We slowly walked towards each other, or rather, I walked slower. God, he looked hot.

“Hey Mags. You ready?” Ready for what? When held out his helmet towards me, it finally dawned on me.

“Wait, you can’t be serious?!” I peered over his shoulder and stared at the Vespa. He was kidding, right? I mean, there’s no way we can both fit on that thing. The wise guy only laughed, and I gave him a side eye.

“Of course I’m serious. You’ve always said you wanted to go on a Vespa ride like Audrey Hepburn.” Without warning, Andy grabbed my hand and pulled me to the parked Vespa. 

“Woah, woah, woah. Slow down!” We came to a stop and Andy turned to look at me.

“What? Don’t you want to go? I mean, you said you wanted to see the sights.”

“Not like this! I mean, do you expect the both of us to fit on that thing?” I gestured to the Vespa before putting a hand on my stomach protectively. “Besides, I don’t think it’s really safe...Hey! What are you doing?!” Suddenly, my vision darkened for a moment as Andy put the helmet over my head.

“Just making sure you’re safe. And don’t worry, I’ll go slow.” He took my hand again and dragged me to the Vespa.  
“Hold on a minute! You don’t even know how to drive one of these things!” Andy looked down at his feet, smiling sheepishly.

Rubbing his neck, he said, “Actually, I do. Ever since I saw you with that guy on the motorcycle, I decided to learn how.” Wait a minute, when the hell did he see me with Marcus?

I stared at Andy, almost too stunned for words. “How did you know about Marcus and I?” My question came out barely a whisper as I felt the atmosphere around us fell somber. 

Grabbing my hand, Andy sighed. “Look, I’m not going to lie to you. But when you left for Seattle, I thought I could bear it but I couldn’t. A couple of weeks later, I had to drive up there to make sure you were all right. When I got up there, I couldn’t find you at first. But when I was sitting in a diner, I noticed a motorcycle waiting at the stoplights, I noticed someone that looked like you on the back of it. I didn’t think it was you at first, since the girl had short hair. But then I recognized the rose and moon tattoo on your ankle.” Suddenly, he started to choke up. Wait a minute, was he going to cry? God, please don’t let him cry in front of me.

I didn’t say anything as I continued to hold his hand. I don’t know why, but I squeezed his hand. And with that, the pained look on Andy’s face disappeared as fast as it came. We didn’t say anything as we looked at each other.

“So, what do you say?” After his revelation, I didn’t know what to think. Or what to say. The rational part of my mind told me I was crazy for even considering getting on that Vespa. The irrational part of my mind, using Andy’s revelation as bait, urged me to dive in headfirst, a la Audrey Hepburn style. 

I was so close to telling him no, that I was not going to be a part of his little escapade, but Hannah’s words from last night came back to haunt me. “Maggie, do something impulsive for once in your life.” And that’s what got me. I smiled slowly at him before getting on the back of the Vespa. Then something hit me as Andy turned the Vespa on.

“Wait a minute, you don’t have a license to drive around here!”

“You’re forgetting I have connections now, love.” Swoon! I rolled my eyes. There was no doubt Georgiana’s father had a part in this. I leaned my head against Andy’s back as I wrapped my arms around his waist. I closed my eyes, taking in the blissful moment. “You better hold on tight, spider monkey.” Wait, what? And before I knew it, we were sped off, zipping through the streets of Rome.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Never in my life had I been in a city, or country for that matter, so beautiful. I felt very small standing in the middle of St. Peter’s square. And very claustrophobic at the moment. I’ve never seen so many people in my life! “Amazing, isn’t it?” Andy and I were looking up at the obelisk that dominated the square. 

“Uh, yeah? Although I don’t see the purpose of putting a giant obelisk in the middle of the square.”

“I don’t know, but don’t you think it kinda looks like a…” Andy leaned in and whispered in my ear. Suddenly, I felt myself turn scarlet and I turned to look at him, shocked.

“Andy!” The idiot only laughed.

“What?”

“What do you mean, what? How can you make a joke like that? I mean, the pope lives here!” I smacked him in the shoulder.

“Hey, you got admit, it was pretty funny.” I could only roll my eyes as he rubbed his shoulder.

My mind began to wander as slowly wandered about, with Andy in tow. “So, what do you want to do now?” I turned to look at Andy, which was a mistake. As soon as I turned my head, a bright flash temporarily blinded me. Damn him! I wasn’t expecting Andy to bring his camera.

“That.” I scowled as he smirked at me. “What?”

“Can you not?”

“Why? I like taking pictures of you. It’s not my fault you’re beautiful.” After he said that, we both blushed slightly, and I quickly turned my attention back to the obelisk. Andy joined me, standing next to me, quite awkwardly. We didn’t say anything for a while, as we gazed at the cross on top of the obelisk. “You wanna check out the basilica?”

Not wanting to pass up a chance to show off my knowledge from AP Art History from back in high school, I nodded. “Okay.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Tell me again why we’re waiting in this line?”

“I told you, it’s a surprise!” I sighed in annoyance. That seemed to be Andy’s motto for this whole escapade. We were standing in line in a portico of the Cosmedin church. I was so glad I bought myself a pair of sunglasses and a hat, because it was hot as hell out here. And standing in line to see God knows what wasn’t helping. Good thing the line was moving quite quickly. 

When we got up to the front, my mouth dropped when I saw what we came for. It was that mouth thing from Roman Holiday! I thought it was just a prop for the movie. I turned to look at Andy, who only grinned. “You knew about this, didn’t you?!”

“I knew you would love it.”

“But I thought that was just a movie.”

“Nope, it’s completely real. Even the legend surrounding it.” I scoffed.

“Oh, come on! You really expect me to believe that, do you?” 

“Why don’t you see for yourself?” Andy’s tone was almost seductive as he grinned at me, and I nearly melted. Suddenly, I was nervous. It wasn’t really true, was it? I mean, that was just a prank Gregory Peck pulled on Audrey in the movie. “Well, go on.”

Smiling nervously, I inched closer to the statue and timidly put out a hand and touched the edge of the mouth. But I pulled it back as quick as I could, as if the stone were on fire. Nervously chuckling, I looked at Andy and said, “Let’s see you do it then, tough guy.” 

I could’ve sworn his smile faltered a bit. “Uh, ok.” I watched nervously as Andy put his hand further in than mine. Everything was going fine until something pulled him in and he let out a shout, scaring me and the people behind us. 

Screaming, I tried to pull out Andy as best I could. Whatever was holding him hostage let him go, and turned to look at me. I looked down and...WHERE WAS HIS HAND?! Holy crap, it was true! I let out a shriek. But as fast as I screamed, his hand popped out from his sleeve. That jackass! “Andy, you asshole!” I hit him in the chest as he laughed, putting an arm around me as we left the line.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We took a train to a beach in Fregene. It was nearly sunset, but it was still beautiful out. I was wearing a sleeveless, white sundress and Andy was wearing a loose fitting t-shirt with shorts. As we were walking along the shore, I couldn’t help but glance at him every once in a while. Was he working out? I had to turn my head away to stop myself from thinking the forbidden thoughts that had been popping up these past few days. I concentrated my gaze out into the ocean as I felt my hand brush up against his every now and then. And if I didn’t know any better, I could’ve sworn he was doing it on purpose.

Suddenly, I heard a snap. I groaned. Not that damned camera again. “Andy, cut it out.” 

“What? I was only taking a picture of the sunset.”

“You liar. You knew I was in the shot, and you still took the damn picture!” The fool only chuckled.

“You know me so well, Mags.”

“Well yeah, we dated for 5 years.” As soon as I brought up our past history, Andy fell quiet. I turned to look at him, only to find something surprising. He had a troubled expression on his face, as if he didn’t know what to do. Tentatively, I reached out and grabbed his hand. “Hey, what is it?” He only shook his head.

“It’s nothing.”

“Don’t be a moron, Andy. I know when something’s bothering you. And there is something bothering you.”

“Just forget it, Maggie!” I stopped in my tracks. He’s never used that tone with me before. When he finally noticed I wasn’t walking with him, he stopped and turned back to look at me. Noticing my hurt expression, regret immediately flooded his eyes. Andy walked towards me and grabbed both my hands. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you, alright?”

“So, is there something bothering you or what? Because I know that look.” Smiling softly, he pulled me closer to him. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. 

“Don’t worry your pretty head about it.” I gasped softly as Andy kissed my forehead before resting his chin on my head. My knees nearly buckled and he pulled me closer, tightening his grip around my waist. We stood there as music played a little farther down the beach, most likely a beach party. Soon, I could feel Andy and I slowly shifting back and forth in a slow dance. I knew this was wrong, but I couldn’t help it. Old feelings started to bubble up to the surface as Andy and I looked at each other. What was that feeling in his eyes? It looked all too familiar. 

Unconsciously, our heads moved closer to one another, and I felt my eyes shut on their own accord. I could feel my breath get caught in my throat as I could sense our lips were within inches of each other. When they barely touched, that’s when I broke free from my reverie. I pulled my head back and looked at him. “It’s getting late. We should probably head back.” I could’ve sworn regret flashed in Andy’s eyes as he frowned again. That look of confliction was back. 

“Yeah, sure.” Neither one of us said a word as we walked back up the beach, not holding hands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So, any big plans after the wedding? I mean, you’re already in Italy, so why not just stay here?” We were sitting outside at a cafe, awaiting our lunch. Normally, I would feel uncomfortable talking about anything that involved Georgiana, but I was curious. 

Andy nodded. “That’s the plan. Georgiana wants to travel around Italy for a few days before touring more of Europe.” I inwardly rolled my eyes. Of course she did. The bitch could afford it. 

I took a sip of my iced tea. “Anywhere in particular?”

“Well, we definitely want to hit up Sicily.” That caught my attention. I was obsessed with The Golden Girls. Sophia was my absolute favorite.

“Ugh, I’m so jealous.” Andy smiled a little.

“I knew you would be. I know how much you love Sophia.” I did my best impression of the Sicilian curse pose from the show, and we both shared a laugh.

“So, where else do you plan to go?”

“Well, there’s Venice, Florence, Milan…” Of course Milan was on the list. It was practically the fashion capital of the world. And Venice, the city with all the canals. I inwardly wished the wedding was there, so I could push Georgiana off a gondola. I smiled inwardly. Good god, I did sound a little like Aro. “There’s also this little town we want to stop at before we leave. Some place called Volterra.” 

That caught my attention. Fuck! “V..Volterra?” Damn, I didn’t mean to stutter.

“Yeah. Georgiana read about this clock tower tour and she really wants to go.” No. No. No. No! Absolutely not! I had to somehow manage to convince him not to go. That is the LAST place I want him to be.

Trying to act nonchalant, I took another sip of my tea and shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know. I heard some pretty awful reviews about that tour.” Andy looked at me curiously.

“What, you know about it?”

“Sure. When I had to stop my sister from eloping with her boyfriend, we thought about doing that before we left, but we heard the locals talk crap about it” Andy scoffed.

“Oh come on. It can’t be that bad.” I reached out and grabbed his arm, holding it tightly. 

“Andy, please promise me that you won’t go to Volterra.” His smile faltered.

“Why? It can’t be all bad-” I tightened my grip on his arm, causing his eyes to widen.

“Promise me, Andy. Please, don’t go there. That place is not what it seems.” I don’t I was ever more dead serious than I was now. “Please...For me?”

He looked conflicted, but there was no way he could ignore the look in my eyes. “Alright, I promise.” I let out a sigh of relief as the waiter brought us our lunch. To my suprise, it was one giant plate of spaghetti. With meatballs. I looked up at Andy in surprise. I was in the bathroom when he ordered, and there was something devilish about his smirk. I was confused at first but then it hit me. A smile slowly crept onto my face.

“You didn’t…”

“I did. I know how much you wanted to do this.” I laughed as I picked up my fork. It wasn’t long before we both got the same noodle on our forks. Pretty soon, we were both leaning over the table, our faces close together, only to be separated by a noodle. Remembering last night at the beach, I pulled back, breaking the noodle. I didn’t want to make a bigger mistake I was already making. “Hey, why’d you do that? Come on.” Andy took another fork full, looking at me expectantly. There was no way he was expecting me to do this, right? When he didn’t put his fork in his mouth, I was taken aback. Slowly, I took another fork full before putting it in my mouth. Coincidentally, we also had a shared noodle. Only this time, our lips actually touched. I blushed and looked down. Not knowing if I should be ashamed or not.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aro POV

I immediately knew Margaret was in Italy when I was wandering about Volterra one night. Her blood was calling for me, like a siren luring unsuspecting sailors to their deaths. But it wasn’t nearly as strong like I thought it would be. Carlisle wrote that she would be here in Volterra for a wedding, but my senses told me otherwise. 

I felt extremely frustrated. Did Carlisle trick me into thinking she would be in Volterra? To settle things, I had called Carlisle, demanding to know why my mate wasn’t in Volterra like he promised. My anger subsided when Carlisle admitted he knew nothing about this whole charade and inquired about it to Alice. 

It seems there was a last minute change. The wedding wouldn’t be in Volterra after all. Apparently my mate was 283 kilometers away in Rome. I instructed Demetri to track her down, following his every move. You won’t get away from me now, you little minx. 

It took some time, but I finally found her. But as soon as I set my eyes upon her, I felt whatever blood that was in me boil. She was with that boy! And by the looks of it, she was getting quite cozy with him, as he was with her. 

I felt the rage inside me spill over, and in my anger, I took out an unsuspecting human. After having Demetri dispose of the body, I continued to follow Margaret and that insolent boy around. In order to stop myself from unleashing destruction around Rome, I had Demetri stop myself whenever I felt close to the edge. Especially when we observed them at the beach, when that boy had the audacity to nearly kiss her, my mate. My Margaret.

There was no doubt he was going to have to pay for this. How dare he try to take what was mine! As we headed back to Volterra, I had to think of a way to exact my revenge. I had to show that boy who he was messing with.

And Margaret. Poor, poor Margaret. She would have to learn that she belongs to me. It took all my power, and Demetri, to stop myself from kidnap her and show her what it was like to be with a real man. But I had to bide my time. And soon, I shall have the opportunity to encounter Margaret again.


	26. Undisclosed Desires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know this story is set in 2006 and "Undisclosed Desires" by Muse didn't come out until 2009, but for the sake of this story, it exists in this timeline. I just love that song, and it fits!

Soon, the day of the wedding was upon us, and I felt uneasy. These past few days with Andy were wonderful, but I felt real bad. While I was still in love with Andy, he wasn’t mine. And I wasn’t going to stoop to Georgiana’s level and steal someone else’s man. Although, in Georgiana’s defense, Andy hasn’t been mine since I was 18.

I was sitting next to Hannah in one of the cars being used to bring people to the church. Hannah was on my right, and Jennifer was on my left. Sitting across from us were Micah, Austin, and Terrance. Everyone else was in a different car.

Everyone was chatting amongst themselves, but I couldn’t bring myself to join the conversation. My hat hid most of my face as I gazed out the window, my hands tugging at my white gloves. I bit my lip as I watched the wonders of Rome pass by. No one paid any attention to me, which was fine because my anxiety levels were in danger of going through the roof. And Hannah placing an unsuspecting hand on my wrist did not help my poor nerves.

“Dude, are you ok?” Trying to settle down after that slight jump scare, I smoothed out my dress before bending over to pick up my gloves that fell on the floor when I jumped. Straightening back up, I turned my attention back to the window.

“I’m fine,” I murmured. I was not in the mood for this conversation. These past few days have already been emotional enough. Hannah was just making them more annoying. Whenever I got back from spending the day with Andy, she would always bug for the juicy details, or lack thereof. And I would always tell her nothing happened. Not even how I deeply suspected that Andy was deeply regretting his engagement to Georgiana and their upcoming nuptials that were to occur within the next hour. 

“Come on. Don’t think I don’t know you’re hiding something.” I let out a deep sigh as I felt the muscles in my face tighten slightly. 

“Leave it alone, Han,” I warned.

“But-” 

“I said, leave it!” I hissed as quietly as I could. Hannah looked at me in shock, with a glimmer of hurt in her eyes. Usually I would feel bad for snapping at her like that, but I wasn’t in the mood. While I had a great time with Andy, there was always something lingering in the back of my mind. Or should I say someone. Someone that sat lurking quietly in the shadows of Volterra, waiting. Waiting to possess every inch of my flesh. I could already feel Aro’s hands caressing my neck before making their way down to my breasts before gliding down my back, finally gripping tightly to my waist. I inconspicuously crossed my legs and grit my teeth. Damn that man!

But it wasn’t just Aro either. Whenever Andy and I went someplace, something didn’t seem quite right. As much as I wanted to indulge in those old feelings, and believe me when I say I was sorely tempted, I just couldn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I still love Andy. A lot. But it wasn’t like it was before. Both of us had gone our separate ways. The paths we both went down were so far apart, I don't think they will ever cross again. And that’s why after today, I decided it was best that our paths stopped crossing. Permanently. That part of my life is over now.

I let out a sigh of relief when we finally made it to the church. But then I had to roll my eyes when I recognized the church. St. Peter’s Basilica, of all places. The same church Andy and I visited during our escapade. Whatever. 

I got out of the car first, carefully trying not to trip. Fucking hell, my feet hurt. I had to wear heels because I knew Georgiana would have a fit. Thank god my dress for tonight was long enough to hide the sneakersI brought along. 

The church was just as beautiful as the day I first saw it. The group conversation halted as everyone suddenly stopped, no doubt entranced by the frescos and the like. “Dude, this place is dope!” After Terrance’s exclamation, I rubbed my temples out of annoyance. “Dope” was not the word I would’ve chosen. Sometimes I wondered why I was friends with half the people I was friends with. And that includes the peanut gallery back at La Push.

I started to walk forward into the church when Hannah grabbed my wrist. I turned to look at her, with an arched brow. “Are you sure you’re ok? You seem tense?”

Poker faced, I gritted through my teeth, “I’m fine, Hannah. Let’s just go sit down.” Freeing my wrist, I turned to continue walking into the church. Only to run straight into a solid figure. Good thing Hannah was behind me otherwise I would’ve fallen on my fat ass. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” My nervousness soon turned into shock when the figure turned to face me.   
Was that who I thought it was? “Maggie? Is that really you? I haven’t seen you in ages!” Inwardly, I facepalmed myself. How could I not recognize Andy’s little brother? He was a lot smaller the last time I saw him. I let out a little shout as he pulled me into an unsuspecting hug.

“Tommy…”I gasped, struggling to breathe as he held me tight. “Can’t...breathe…”

“Oh, sorry,” he smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. God, he looked so much like Andy.

“How old are you now, Tommy? 15? 16?” He rubbed his neck again, laughing slightly.

“16.” Wow, time really flies. I opened my mouth to say something, but Tommy beat me to it. “So hey, uh…” All of a sudden, he looked nervous. And I got suspicious. 

“What is it?” Squinting, I idly took in my surroundings as people started to shuffle in. You could obviously tell which family everyone was with. Everyone on Georgiana’s side was dressed in exquisite clothing made out of pastels. I could almost vomit just looking at them, in their silly Kentucky Derby hats and the multiple jewels they wore. Granted, my hat was in a similar style, but everyone elses were ridiculous!

That’s when Tommy muttered something suspiciously about Andy. “What was that?” Tommy muttered again, although this time it was barely any louder. “Come on, Tommy.” He muttered again, but I still couldn’t hear him. “For god’s sake Tommy!” I nearly shouted, causing people to look at me. Blushing slightly, I refocused my gaze on the younger Spencer brother. Lowering my voice, I said, “Tommy. Spill it!”

“Andy wants to see you.” That caught me off guard. I pulled away, eyes widened, mouth slightly agape.

“Tommy, this isn’t funny.”

“I’m not trying to be funny. He told me to come get you when you came.” I gave a side eye to Hannah who, not surprisingly, was listening in. We quietly bickered with one another, debating if I should go with Tommy. In the end, I was walking alongside Tommy down a corridor. My anxiety levels were at their peak now. “Ya know, even though I was a lot younger than you guys, I liked you. A lot. A hell of a lot better than Princess Stuck Up.” I glanced over at my companion, only to see him roll his eyes.

“You don’t like her either, huh?”

“Pfft, hell no! I wish you were marrying Andy instead of that pretentious cow!” Now I was really caught off guard. I stopped in my tracks, face frozen. When Tommy noticed I wasn’t walking with him, he turned back to look at me. “Are you coming or what?”

Slowly stepping forward, I debated whether to ask what I wanted to ask. Throwing caution to the wind, I tilted my head slightly to look at Tommy from the corner of my eye as we continued to walk down the corridor. “And what do your parents think of her?”  
“Well, I don’t know about dad, but mom clearly doesn’t like her. She puts on a brave face, but I can see she’s had enough of Miss. Priss’ bullshit. Now you on the other hand, she absolutely adores you. She practically tries to sneak you in any conversation we’re having. ‘Oh, Maggie was always so kind and polite’, ‘That’s a nice dress dear. Oh, Maggie always liked that color.’” Ok, now I was uncomfortable. And Tommy imitating his mother in a high-pitched voice wasn’t helping! “Man, you should’ve been there all those times. Georgiana tried to act all calm and collected, but you could tell she was absolutely fuming! It was hilarious.”

If there was ever a time the ground were to open up into a giant black hole, now would be a great time. I didn’t say anything as we approached a door. I felt like vomiting, and it wasn’t from the baby. Keep calm, Maggie. Everything will be alright. I let out a deep sigh before turning to look at Tommy. “Well, here we are. Don’t keep him too long, alright? We don’t want everyone to think he ran off with someone else.” I watched, dumbstruck, as the idiot started laughing his way back to where we came from. I wanted to scream.

Well, here goes nothing. I slowly opened the door and cautiously stepped in after making sure the coast was clear. However, Andy was nowhere to be seen. I looked around the room, marveling at its beauty. Granted, it wasn’t as nice as the church, but it was still beautiful. I was broken from my trance when I heard someone cough from behind. “Nice place, isn’t it?”

It was amazing I didn’t fall flat on my ass from turning so quickly. I was taken aback at the sight before me. There was Andy, standing there in his stupid tuxedo that made him look sexy as hell. This was perhaps the only time in my life I was able to keep my emotions 100% hidden. I could only look at my former lover, biting on my lower lip gently.  
We both stood there, like two deer caught in headlights, not saying a word. At least, not right away. And that’s when I noticed his stubble was still there. “You didn’t shave…” My voice was barely above a whisper. Andy chuckled nervously as he rubbed a hand against his growing stubble.

“No, I suppose I didn’t.” And the room went quiet again, and that made my uneasiness even worse.This is not going to end well. Someone is going to end up crying. Probably me. As each minute passed by without a word being said, the harder it was for me to keep still. My palms, which were already beginning to sweat, twitched slightly at my sides. 

I tried to keep my breath even as Andy slowly walked towards me, swinging his arms nervously. I could tell something was bothering him as I took tiny steps back as he approached. Suddenly, I felt the urge to run away, and I don’t know why. I mentally cursed as I felt myself touch the back of a couch. Thankfully, Andy stopped when I hit the back of the couch. But he was still a little too close for comfort. “Well...Look at you.” Instinctively, I cradled my ever growing bump and fiddled my thumbs nervously.

“Tommy said you wanted to see me.” It wasn’t a question really, just a monotoned statement. Andy didn’t say anything in response as he continued to stare at me.

“I never seen you look so beautiful before,” he murmured, as if he were talking to himself. I bit my lip and bowed my head, a slight shiver running down my spine. If our situations had been any different than they were now, I would’ve been in his arms in a nanosecond. But everything was different now. And his words only made the situation more difficult.

“Must be the bump.” This was true. As often as I had thoughts telling myself I was a fat whale, I also admired the bump as a thing of beauty. A work of art, so to speak. Knowing this would be the only time in my life to be pregnant, I tried to make the most of it. Whenever I wasn’t puking or peeing a river.

Andy gave me a pained smile before he started to pace the room. “Yeah…” Something wasn’t right. Andy had that same look on his face when we spent the last few days together. Against my better judgement, I cautiously stepped forward.

Andy nearly jumped when I gently put a hand on his arm. “Andy, what’s wrong?” That only made him even more anxious. Which was scaring me.

He didn’t say anything as he slowly turned to look at me. The next thing I knew, Andy’s face was buried in my neck, sobbing as he clutched my shoulders. “You need to get me out of this, Mags.” Wait, what?! Is he being serious?! Suddenly, I felt my stomach drop. This definitely wasn’t going to end well.

Snaking my hands up to his own shoulders, I pushed Andy back and looked at him sternly. “Andy, what are you talking about?” Removing his hands from my shoulders, Andy turned away as he rubbed his face before pacing again.

“I just...I just can’t do this. Maggie. I can’t marry someone I’m not sure about.” Oh fuck. Please don’t be what I think it is. Hesitantly, I stepped forward.  
“What do you mean?” That’s when the room went quiet again, perhaps even moreso, which I didn’t even know was possible. I expected Andy to look at me, but he didn’t. He kept his gaze on the elegant marble floor.

“I’m not sure I love Georgy, Mags.” Ugh, what kind of pet name was that? At least mine was cute. Focus, Maggie! I tilted my head slightly, my stern look softening a bit.

“What do you…” And that’s when I realized the deeper meaning behind his words. Georgiana was being unfaithful. At least, that’s what my hunch told me. Not wanting to show I was becoming annoyed with the conversation, I carefully worded my next reply. “I’m afraid I don’t understand, Andrew.” 

Andy sharply turned to look at me when I emphasized his full name. “Look, it’s not what you think. Georgy’s been great, she really has,” I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Somehow, I doubt that. “It’s just...She’s not you.” And that’s when my whole body froze. My gaze sharply met his, and I felt like something was caught in my throat. In all my years of knowing him, I never seen Andy look at me like that before. It was a mixture of sadness and pure longing. No, no, no! This can’t be happening! 

Before I could respond, Andy continued his confession that was laced with desperation. “After you left, I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to go after you, but I talked myself out of it, thinking you would come back after some time, but…” There was no need for him to finish that sentence. I was tempted to return, but we both know I never did.

“But?”

“And that’s when I got together with Georgiana. Everything was going fine until you came back.” Excuse me? I looked at him with a slightly offended look. Andy looked hesitant, and I was afraid what he was going to do next. Suddenly, before I could even blink, Andy was standing right in front of me. I swore I felt my heart stop for a moment when he cupped my face. 

“And just how do you expect me to help you?” I whispered fiercely, feeling really uncomfortable.

“I love you, Mags.” Oh no. “Run away with me.” The next thing I knew, Andy was kissing me. And not how I remembered. Whenever we kissed, he’d start out slow and innocent. Now it was just desperate passion. I wouldn’t have minded, except for the fact that he was supposed to be getting married in a couple minutes and I was tied to Aro. 

Enough of this! I forcefully shoved Andy away from me. He looked at me, both shocked and hurt. “Are you serious?!”

“Why wouldn’t I be? I still love you Mags. I always have.” Blanching, I turned my body slightly so I could take a few steps back. I was trying very hard not to have a panic attack. How could he ask something like that of me. Especially on the day of his wedding! Now, if our situations were the complete opposite of what they were now, I would’ve said yes. But now...That part of my life was over. And I hated the fact that I had to break his heart. Again.

“Andy, I…” Suddenly, I couldn’t speak. Great. Come on, Maggie. Be brave. 

“What’s the matter? I thought you still loved me?” Oh shit, now he’s done it! I could feel my eyes starting to water. Testing the waters, I hesitantly made my over to my conflicted ex-b...Friend. That’s all he was. And what he’ll remain. 

I didn’t look at Andy as I gently grabbed his hands in mine. “Look, Andy...I do, but…” He gently squeezed my hands gently.

“But?” Man, I really didn’t want to do this. It’s now or never Maggie. Summoning my courage, I tore my hands out of Andy’s, and looked at him solemnly, but determined.

“But this is crazy! I mean what the hell would give you such a stupid idea?!” He stiffened, looking at me like I betrayed him.

“I thought you would understand. I thought you loved me.” The accusation in his voice hurt me, but I only blinked in response. So I decided it was time to get a little harsh myself.

“How dare you say I don’t love you? I have always loved you, and I always will. But this…” I threw my hands up in the air. “This is insanity! Why can’t you accept the fact that we both moved on?” Realizing my mistake, I recoiled and took a few steps back, raising a hand to my mouth. Once again, the room fell silent. Although this time I could sense danger in the air.

Andy brushed past me, quite ruffly, to the couch where my back was just a few moments ago. He was hunched over, hands gripping the couch tightly. If he were a vampire, I’m sure that couch would’ve been gone by now. “There’s somebody else, isn’t there?” His voice was barely above a whisper, but I could still hear it. It was a mixture of anger and sadness.

I hesitated, debating whether or not to answer that question. “Yes.” He turned around and looked at me, quite desperately.

“Can’t you leave him?” Me, leave Aro? A vampire I’m destined to be with for all eternity? I might as well impale the man. Not that I cared about his feelings or anything.

“It’s not that simple, Andrew.” There he goes again, flinching over his name. Good. I liked having that power over him.

“Well can’t you at least try?!” Oh dear, now he sounded truly desperate. My gaze softened, against my better judgement. While there was no doubt I was angry at him, I couldn’t help but feel at least some empathy for him. We were a couple for 5 years after all, and friends for 7. I would always cherish the memories we made together.

Slowly, I gently walked over, or rather waddled, to where Andy stood helplessly. Not breaking eye contact, I grabbed his hands into mine again. “Look, I know this isn’t easy to hear, because this is hard for me to do. We had a lot of fun together, especially these last few days. And I will always cherish our time together. But what you’re asking me, it’s...It’s just unthinkable! You’ve made a commitment. Now be a man and follow through, because right now you’re acting like a child!” Glaring at him once more, I turned away and walked out of the room. Back in the hallway, I leaned against the door, clutching at my bump. Tears started to form, and I didn’t know if they were from the worsening pains or from what I just did. But I knew I was being ridiculous as I bit my lip, pulling myself as best as I could. Putting on a stoic expression, I walked back to the church. What I found was a very divided church. Georgiana’s family and friends sat on one side, and Andy’s on the other. How typical.

I found Hannah and the rest of my friends sitting in the middle on Andy’s side, but I decided I wanted to sit at the very back. Hannah waved at me, begging to sit up by her, but I shook my head. I could see her roll her eyes before getting out of her pew and walking towards mine. I didn’t look at her as she slid in and sat beside me. We were literally sitting shoulder to shoulder, and I knew this was about to become another one of our conversations. “Girl, where were you?!” 

I didn’t meet her glance as I kept my eyes front and center, watching as more people began to file into the church. Eventually, Tommy and Andy began to walk down the aisle to the front, and I could feel Andy’s eyes burning a hole in my side as he walked past our pew. I didn’t even glance at him. Nor did I blink when Hannah waved a hand in my face. “Hello! Earth to Maggie?” I barely turned my head to give her a side eye.

“What?” Ok, that sound way more irritable than it was meant to be, but I really wasn’t in the mood right now. From the corner of my eye, I could see Hannah narrow her eyes at me.

“I asked you where you were. Now are you going to answer me or not?” Music started to play, and the painful procession began. Two elderly couples entered, and I assumed those were Andy and Georgiana’s grandparents. Then Andy’s parents came in. Mrs. Spencer had to do a double take when she saw me. It looked like she was going to wave, but she couldn’t stop without tripping, keeping the procession moving. And then Georgiana’s mother entered, riding on the high horse she shared with her daughter. I’ve only seen Mr. Evans a few times, but Mrs. Evans? She was a sight to behold. She truly looked like she had the personality that has been sucked dry, wearing a very expensive looking dress and an outrageous hat to match. She wore a smirk of pride as she paraded down the aisle.

“I’ll tell you later,” I whispered, watching Georgiana’s snotty friends make their way down the aisle. Her choice of bridesmaids dress shocked me a little. They were dusty rose, off the shoulder evening gowns, but with little to no detail. Something tells me Georgiana picked plain dresses for a reason. Next came the flower girl and ring bearer, dressed so ridiculous I could’ve sworn they walked straight out of 18th century France. I could only guess they were from Georgiana’s side.

Once the bridal party was up front, the organ ceased for a moment, a pause I wasn’t ready for. While I have certainly moved on from Andy, there was still a part of me that wasn’t emotionally prepared for what came next. The organ began to play the bridal march, or rather a death march because that’s what it felt like. As everyone rose, I couldn’t help but glance as Georgiana came in gliding like she won a beauty pageant. I couldn’t help but feel shocked when I saw her dress. It was absolutely beautiful, despite the woman who was wearing it. The ballgown was perhaps the most expensive one I’ve ever seen, with diamonds galore. It had puffy, off the shoulder sleeves and a low neckline. Suddenly, I felt inadequate. I hated to admit it, but Georgiana looked beautiful, despite her fake implanted chest and spray tan.

We both caught each other’s eyes as she walked past the pew, and we both shared a hard stare before she turned her head in annoyance. I looked down, insecurities starting to bubble up to the surface. Once we were seated, I decided to take my shoes off. I relished in the coolness of the marble floor as my eyes fluttered shut, not giving a damn about the ceremony going on. Being brave, I kept my chin up, not wanting to give Georgiana the satisfaction of seeing me defeated. But I kept my eyes above the whole event and marveled at the wondrous architecture. 

My mind must’ve wandered far because I felt Hannah nudge my shoulder, bringing my gaze directly to Andy and Georgiana. Shit, what did I miss? “If anyone here knows of any reason why these two should not be joined together in matrimony, please speak now, or forever hold your peace.” Crap! I knew my time with Andy was over, but those words still hit me like lightning. Not only could I feel Hannah staring at me, I could feel someone else's eyes on me as well. I decided to take a chance and looked directly at Andy, only to see him looking at me through the corner of his eye. Double crap! Don’t you dare say it, Andrew! I also sensed Georgiana’s eyes on me, which didn’t intimidate me in the slightest. I knew she was waiting for this moment to challenge me. I could only imagine her frustration as I looked away. 

As they were exchanging rings, I slid out the opposite end of the pew, muttering to Hannah I had to use the bathroom. I immediately felt cathartic as soon as I stepped outside, but in a good way. In some way, I felt free, despite losing Andy. Looking up at the sky, I noticed clouds had begun to form, and I wondered if it was going to rain. Sighing, I took off my hat and let my hair loose from it’s bun, taking in the fresh air that was so very much needed. Despite the openness of the church, I felt very much claustrophobic.

Suddenly, I felt a chill like I’ve never felt before. Except, perhaps, in my dreams. It felt very supernatural. But then I stiffened, realizing where that chill came from. My eyes fluttered shut, and I moaned softly as a wave of familiarity overcame me, taking me back to Volterra. No. He couldn’t possibly be here. Could he? Taking a deep breath, I slowly opened my eyes, taking in the square. It was mostly empty, with a few stragglers nearby taking in the sites. I let out a sigh of relief as I almost finished my scan of the square. But then I felt my heart stop, and my breath got caught in my throat. 

It wasn’t very far away, but that close either, that stood a tall figure. A figure dressed in all black. A figure that I had sworn had long, black hair. Suddenly, I felt that pull like I did back in Volterra, and I became entranced. I slowly made my way down the steps of the basilica, wanting to get a better look. I cocked my head slightly as I felt my heart beat faster, the pull getting stronger with each step I took. Sadly, I was broken from my trance as I felt a hand on my shoulder. 

Jumping, I let out a yelp. “Dude, it’s only me! Calm down.” Taking a few deep breaths to settle my heartbeat. “What were you looking at?” I turned my head, only to find the black figure had disappeared. Damn it!

After we got back to the hotel, I stripped from my blazer and dress, and crawled in between the covers after putting on an old night shirt. I told Hannah to wake me up when it was time to get ready. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dude, wake up!” My eyes flew open when I felt a pillow hit my head. Groaning, I slowly sat up, slightly enraged.

“Hannah, when I asked you to wake me up, I didn’t mean like that!” My annoyance went in one ear and out the other, as her enthusiasm on her face didn’t falter.

“Sorry, but you need to see this! Someone sent you something!” Wait, what? With my irritation disappearing, I slowly rose out of bed, stretching slightly. In her hands was a flat box wrapped up with a ribbon, and a small card. A sense of foreboding came over me, and I eyed the package suspiciously. 

Hannah gently handed the package over, and slowly pulled the card out from underneath the ribbon. Slowly opening the card, I found the following message: O Mistress mine, where are you roaming?  
O, stay and hear; your true love's coming,  
That can sing both high and low:  
Trip no further, pretty sweeting;  
Journeys end in lovers meeting,  
Every wise man's son doth know.  
What is love? 'Tis not hereafter;  
Present mirth hath present laughter;  
What's to come is still unsure:  
In delay there lies not plenty;  
Then, come kiss me, sweet and twenty,  
Youth's a stuff will not endure.

I deadpanned, emotions running through me. There was only one person who could’ve sent this. Damn him! Suddenly, I could feel Hannah breathe down my neck. “What does it say?” Blushing slightly, I clenched the note.

“None of your-” But Hannah tried to grab it, so I tucked it into my panties. I only smirked as she pouted. My eyes went back to the package, unsure whether I should open it or not.

“Well, aren’t you going to open it?” Damn, she was more excited than I was. Raising a hand to silence her, I slowly unwrapped the package, only to find a velvet box. Fuck, he didn’t. 

Holding my breath, I slowly lifted the lid. I almost dropped the box when I saw what was inside. “Holy shit!” Once I made sure I had the box steady, I sat back down on the bed. Inside, was a gorgeous sapphire and diamond necklace. And I wasn’t talking about one diamond or one sapphire. There was a shit ton!

“Dude, what the hell?!” Hannah joined me on the bed, her mouth gaping. We both looked at each other, eyes as wide as saucers. “I think whoever gave you that really likes you, Mags.” Pretty sure like wasn’t a strong enough Han. I didn’t say a word as my eyes went back to the necklace. That bastard! My fingers grazed the necklace gently as Hannah spoke again, “Do you think those are real?” 

I lifted the necklace out of the box, surprised at how heavy it was. “Feel this!” I gently handed her the necklace, only for her to almost drop it.

“Holy crap!” 

“Yeah.”

“So are you going to wear it?” I gently placed the necklace back in the box

“I don’t know. I mean, Alice already got me the other necklace…” 

“Well, I think you should. I mean, can you imagine Georgiana’s face when she sees that?” Hannah laughed as I continued to stare at the necklace. Once she realized I wasn’t laughing like I usually was, she stopped and looked at me. “Dude, are you ok? You looked fucked up back at the church.” 

I hesitated, wondering if I should tell her, since I know how she blows things out of proportion. “Han, you’re not going to believe this, but when we got there I ran into Tommy.”

“Oh, Andy’s little brother? What did he want?” I tensed up for a moment before relaxing. Come on Maggie, you can do this.

“He told me Andy wanted to see me.” I wish Hannah wouldn’t gape like a fish everytime I told her shocking news.

“You’re kidding, right? I mean, you didn’t actually go with him, did you?” I awkwardly looked away, trying to find something else to look at besides the necklace. When I didn’t answer, Hannah let out a gasp. “Dude, no way! You two didn’t actually do anything, did you?” 

“What the fuck? No! It was nothing like that!” I set the box back on the bed and buried my face into my knees.

“So what happened? Come on, you gotta fill me in!” Sighing, I turned my head to look at her.

“He wanted me to run away with him, Han. He said he didn’t know if he loved Georgiana or not.”

“What the fuck?! You didn’t actually say yes, did you?” I rolled my eyes at her.

“Han, if I did, would I be sitting here talking to you? Of course not!”

“Sorry. So what did you tell him?”

“I told him that while I would always love him, our time was done and he needed to be a man and keep his commitment.” 

“So you just let him marry the bitch?” I stood up and threw my hands up in the air.

“What was I supposed to do Han? If I never went to talk to him and he did end up leaving her at the altar, everyone would think he did it because of me!” I rubbed my head as I slowly turned towards the bathroom. “I’m going to get ready.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The reception later that night was at the Villa Miani, a beautiful estate that overlooked Rome. Thankfully, it never rained and everything was able to be set up outside. Although, being the petty asshole I was, I would have laughed if it did rain. Although, the inside of the estate was pretty glorious too.

However, despite how beautiful the estate, somehow my friends and I got put at one of the worst tables in the venue. And I’m sure it wasn’t just a coincidence. I narrowed my eyes, taking a sip of water from my flute glass. Not going to lie, the decorations were very elegant. I guess Georgiana had some taste afterall. I watched as people mingled while a string quartet played in the background. How typical. 

Everyone watched with boredom as the entire bridal party, along with Georgiana and Andy, paraded in like you would see at any other wedding. And when I said everyone, I meant everyone at our table. Hannah leaned and whispered to me, “Hey, why does everyone else have to wear masks and those two idiots don’t?” My eyes followed the direction of Hannah’s finger, and found that Andy and Georgiana were indeed the only ones without a mask. I snorted and shrugged my shoulders. Like I even cared.

Once everyone was seated, Georgiana’s family and friends all began their little speeches. Hannah and I kept exchanging side eyes, reading each other’s thoughts silently. And then a hush fell over the crowd as Andy slowly stood up to give his speech. Straightening up slightly, I let my gaze travel to the head table. And despite the distance between our two tables, I could see Andy perfectly. But unlike at the church, he didn’t meet my gaze at all. “I want to thank you all for being here tonight. I know it’s a long way from home for some of you.” He let out a nervous laugh, and I could tell he was tensing up again. There was an edge in his voice when he spoke up again. “It means so much to my wife and I. Thank you.” 

People were slow to clap once they realized Andy didn’t have anything else to say. Everyone at the table exchanged looks in surprise, but I didn’t. What a complete fool he was, for not covering up his tracks very well. I felt Hannah nudge my shoulder. “Check out Miss. Princess. She didn’t seem to like that.” My eyes shifted to Georgiana, who was smiling tightly. There was no doubt she was expecting some big speech. I snorted in agreement as the waiters began to serve dinner.

But something seemed off. While every other table was getting served, ours seemed to be missed out. A lot. I tried to get the attention of one of the servers, but to no avail. I looked at Hannah, who only rolled her eyes. 

“Hey, so I don’t know if any of you noticed, but, uh...Why are we the only ones being treated like we’re riffraff?” Others began to mutter in agreement with Micah.

“Nothing’s a surprise with her.” While the others talked about themselves, I felt another chill go down my spine. No, it can’t be! Not here! But I just shook my head as our food finally came. I was about to dig in when I saw what it was. Picture it. Rome, 2006. An extravagant wedding practically in the heart of Rome. There before you sat your classic Italian dishes. Bruschetta, chicken parmigiana, spaghetti and meatballs, fettuccine alfredo, you name it.

But that’s now what was there. There was lobster, caviar, steamed asparagus, and-was that veal?! I wanted to vomit. Surely the asparagus and lobster (I hope) were alright, but the veal and the caviar? Was she trying to poison me? “Dude, is she for real? I heard Hannah scoff. The others also shared the same sentiments. Nevertheless, everyone still ate.

However, I just stared at my plate, debating if it was safe for me to eat. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Hannah staring at me. “Aren’t you going to eat? This lobster is delicious!” I removed my hands that were resting on the table and placed them on my lap, letting them fiddle with my napkin.

“I don’t know about this, Han. I don’t think I’m allowed this much seafood. And definitely not this late.”

“Oh come on! I’m sure you can have a few bites.” Man oh man, was I tempted. I never had lobster before. And right now, the one in front of me really looked really mouthwatering. I picked up my fork, mentally debating with myself. And I almost caved in. But I decided against it.

“No, I’m not going to risk it. Guess I’ll just have to stick with the asparagus.” I made a face of disgust. I never liked asparagus. Plus, I heard what it does to your pee.

“Alright then, you party pooper. Everyone! Give all your asparagus to Maggie!” Before I knew it, my plate was whisked away from me and a fresh plate with everyone else's asparagus was placed in front of me.

“I swear to god, there better be cannolis for dessert,” I muttered as I poked the asparagus with my fork.

“You and your cannoli. When are you ever going to give that up?” I turned my head slowly, and stared at Hannah with a malicious gleam in my eye.  
“Hannah, I am not leaving this country until I have an authentic, Italian cannoli. With ketchup!”   
I heard Hannah groan in disgust. 

“Dude, that sounds disgusting.” I shrugged as I took a bite of my asparagus. Surprisingly, it was good. I guess steaming it made a load of difference.

“Hey, you’re the one missing out. In fact, I think I’ll also have gelato with hot sauce, tiramisu with mustard-”

“Ew, enough!” I laughed as she hit me on the shoulder. I was only joking with the last two. Lately, Hannah found some of my cravings disgusting, and I would always have some fun with it.

The rest of the meal without incident, and to my happiness, there was cannoli for dessert. Us little people had to eat small while miss high and mighty and her crowd had the real cake. I wondered if she did that to be cheap. I mean, the cake itself looks expensive as hell. Not that I minded. My mouth had a foodgasm as I devoured my cannoli.

After dinner was finished, there was another cocktail hour as the tables were cleared to make room for the rest of the reception. The string quartet was replaced by a dj, thank god. Not that I had anything against classical music, but I really needed to jam to some of my own music. Before I knew it, Andy and Georgiana were already sharing their first dance. Feeling uneasy, I excused myself from the crowd and headed to the bar, which wasn’t very busy. Just a few other people.   
I sat down, feeling exhausted, even though I really haven’t done that much. Suddenly, I heard a charming voice to my left. “Can I buy you a drink?” I turned and saw a very cute guy sitting on the stool next to me. He had sandy brown hair and blue eyes, but a lighter shade than mine. And was that a British accent I heard? Swoon!

Rubbing my belly gently, I smiled shyly at him. “Thanks, but as you can see, I’m in a delicate condition right now.”

“Well surely a virgin drink then?” Holy crap, it was a British accent! “Come on. What would you like?” I blushed slightly and bit my lip. Man, this guy is persistent.

“Alright then, you convinced me.” Smiling coyly at him, subtly looking him over. “I guess I’ll take a virgin Bellini.” He smiled at me before turning to get the bartender’s attention. I don’t know why, but I was feeling flirty tonight. Now that I didn’t have to worry about Andy, I thought I would have a little fun.

“So tell me, what is a lovely woman like yourself sitting alone at the bar?” I smiled as I took a sip of my drink.

“Well, to tell you the truth, these types of weddings aren’t really my thing. I just don’t feel I fit in, ya know?”

“Yes, Georgiana has always been the extravagant type.” I froze as I lifted my glass for another sip, my eyes narrowing slightly.

“Oh? You know Georgiana then?”

“Yes. She’s my cousin actually.” I nearly choked on my drink. I forgot Georgiana’s mother was British.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m ok. It just slipped my mind that she was part British. I haven’t really seen her since high school.”

“Oh, were you one of the girls on her dance team?” HER dance team?! I nodded warily.

“I was. But we weren’t really close though, to be honest.” He offered another charming smile.

“Oh come on. Surely you must’ve been on good terms with her if you were invited.” Pffft! If only he knew the whole story. 

“No, we really weren't! I was only invited because Andy is an old friend of mine.”

“Wait a minute. You wouldn’t happen to be Maggie by any chance?” I smiled coyly again.

“I am actually. But how do you know my name?” He chuckled nervously, looking a little awkward.  
“She’s talked about you, actually.” I slowly put down my drink and looked away, my hands fidgeting. 

“Well that can’t be good if you heard anything from her,” I snorted as I raised my glass again.

“Oh please, Georgy was always such a brat growing up. I’m sure everything she said about you is the exact opposite.” I blushed as I emptied my glass before placing it back on the bar. 

Leaning my head against my palm, I gave the mystery man a flirty look. “You never told me your name.” This time it was him who blushed. Gosh, his smile was too cute!

“My apologies. I’m William.”

“So, just like Prince William?” I teased, making him blush more.

“You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve heard that.” I chuckled as I tilted my head.

“I bet.” Music played softly in the background as William and I stared at each other, slightly blushing. That’s when the tune changed to “Earth Angel,” one of my favorite songs. 

William must’ve picked up on my excitement because he got up from his barstool and stood in front of me, a hand stretched out. “Would you like to dance?” Great, I was really blushing now. I smiled as I bit my lip before nodding. 

As William led me out to the dance floor, I spied Hannah off to the side, giving me a shocked, but approving look. Neither of us said a word as we smiled at each other. Even though he was related to Georgiana, I couldn’t help feel attracted to William as we spun around the dance floor. He was a true gentleman.

However, my entertainment meter plummeted when I saw a familiar figure standing in the crowd. Was that? No, it couldn’t be. That man had blue eyes. I tried to catch another glance, but he disappeared. Thinking nothing of it, I shook my head, returning my attention to William. “Are you sure you’re alright? You’re looking very pale. Do you want to sit down?”

“No, no, I’m fine. Probably just a pregnancy thing.” William didn’t seem convinced, but didn’t inquire any further. Before we both knew it, the song was over, and we stood in the middle of the floor, staring at each other. 

“Well, I must say, you are a divine dancer, even in your condition. Have you ever waltzed before?”

“I mean, a little. Back in high school, we had a dancing unit in gym, but that’s about it. But I am rather clumsy.” We both laughed.

“Well, how about you save one for me tonight. I don’t think we saw the last of the quartet.” After promising William another dance, I gently waved goodbye as we both turned to go our separate ways. The smile on my face disappeared as fast as it came. Andy was standing right in front of me.  
“Hey.”

“Hi,” I nearly whispered back. 

“You look beautiful tonight Mags.” I blushed and looked down awkwardly. I was not planning on running into him at the reception. 

“Thanks,” I muttered before turning away.

“Wait!” I stopped in my tracks, only turning my head slightly to look from the corner of my eye.

“Did you want to dance? Ya know...For old times sake?” I could see this was going to be awkward. Andy was rubbing the back of his neck. He always did that when he was nervous.

Sighing, I turned back to face him. “I suppose.” It wasn’t long before a familiar tune began to play, and I almost choked up. Almost. It was our song from high school, “Only You.” Luckily, Andy showed no emotion as we began to dance.

“So...I see you met Georgy’s cousin.” I laughed and blushed.

“Yeah, he seems to be a sweet guy.” Well that obviously was the wrong thing to say. Andy subtly made a face. “What? All I said was that he seemed to be a sweet guy.”

“I don’t know, the way he was looking at you seems suspicious. I wouldn’t get too cozy with him, Mags.”

“What is your problem? I’m pretty sure I’m a grown woman who can make her own decisions.”

“You seem to be making a lot of decisions lately. I’m pretty sure you’re the one with a problem?”

“Excuse me?!” I broke away from him, but didn’t move from the dance floor as couples arounds continued to dance. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Suddenly, I saw that man again. Even though he was wearing a mask, his face looked suspiciously familiar. Don’t tell me that bastard- 

“Hello?! Maggie, did you even hear a word I said?” Great. Now he was annoyed. I narrowed my eyes at him.

“I’m afraid I didn’t, Andrew. And I’m not sure I want to.” I turned and started to make my way through the crowded dance floor when I felt someone pull my arm. “Ow! Andy, what the hell?” People started to stare at us, which was not good. I did not want Georgiana to find out about this.

We made our way through the dance floor into a quiet place where there weren’t too many people. Great. The last place I wanted to be was alone with Andy. On his wedding day. “Andy, what the fuck is wrong with you?!”

“Keep your voice down!” He turned his head both ways to make sure no one could hear us. “Look, I still think you’re making a big mistake.” I rolled my eyes and snorted.

“Not this again, look,” I rubbed my arm, hoping I wouldn’t bruise. “What’s done is done, why can’t you accept that?”

“Because I love you!” Andy whispered fiercely, getting too close for comfort.

“And what about Georgiana, hmm? What about her feelings?” He scoffed.

“Oh, so now decide to be her friend? Perfect time, Mags. That’s just swell.”

“No, but I don’t want to be the bad guy here and ruin a very expensive wedding!” Andy scoffed again.

“Believe me, you’re not the villain here. Not even close.” I raised a brow.

“Then who is? Since you know all the answers.” We were both getting tired of each other’s shit, that much I know.

“Isn’t it obvious? You told me you moved on with someone else.” Oh fuck no! As soon as he brought up Aro, I became furious. 

“Excuse me?”  
“You heard me. Whoever this guy is, he’s the villain.”

“And why would you think that?”

“Because he’s taking you away from me!” I took a few steps back away, looking rather affronted.

“How dare you! Who do you think you are, deciding on my future. I am not a prize to be won! Besides, we haven’t been together in ages. So why don’t you follow my advice and stick to your commitment like a real man!” As I turned to leave, I could hear Andy call out for me. “Goodbye, Andrew!”

I stormed away from the party, down the steps and further down the lawn to wear the fountain was. Planting myself on the stone, I tore off my mask and threw it in a fit of rage. Then I remembered that Alice handcrafted it, and walked over to retrieve the precious object. That’s when I heard footsteps coming from behind, and I stiffened. Part of me had a hunch, but I wanted to make sure. I walked a short distance, keeping my ears open. Which was hard, considering the music back up at the reception. But I could still sense I was being followed. “You don’t have to hide yourself, you know. I know you’ve been watching me.”

I took a deep breath as I heard that musical chuckle. “You are quite astute for someone of your age my dear.” Taking a shaky breath, I slowly turned to face him. The man who had been haunting my dreams and set my soul on fire. At first I thought I was only hearing things, as my eyes were adjusting to the night. 

But then he slowly came into view, and my heart stopped. There he was, black suit and all. That damn invisible magnet I felt back in Volterra was pulling again, and I found myself walking slowly towards him. “Aro.” He chuckled again as we stood inches apart from each other.

“Hello again, mia tesoro.” I shivered slightly as Aro undid his own mask. I felt another shiver go down my spine when I heard “Undisclosed Desires” by Muse begin to play. I don’t know why, but that song always turns me on. Maybe because it made me think of Aro, I don’t know. Neither of us said a word as I stared up at Aro, and as Aro stared down at me. His eyes, which were disguised by contacts, were filled with desire. He only smirked as my breathing hitched. “My, my, you look very beautiful tonight my dear.” I could feel the blood rush to my cheeks, and I’m sure Aro sensed that too, because I heard him growel slightly.

“Thanks. Alice made it.”

“Ah, I see Alice is a vampire of many talents.” I hummed in agreement and we fell into another silence.

“What do you want from me, Aro?” The bastard only chuckled.

“For now, cara mia, a walk.” He held out his arm, but I didn’t take it. I knew it would annoy him, not being able to read my thoughts. I heard him sigh as we began to walk around the fountain. Suddenly, I felt very shy, and tried to look at something other than Aro. Absentmindedly, my fingers grazed the necklace Aro gave me, causing him to chuckle again. “I see you’re wearing the gift I got you. Do you like, cara mia?” 

“It’s very beautiful, but why did you give it to me? Alice had already got me a necklace.”

“My dear, I gave it to you because I wanted to. You are very precious to me.”

“But it looks so expensive-” I was cut off by Aro chuckling. Again. Seriously?

“My dear Margaret, over the course of the time Marcus, Caius and I have ruled Volterra, we have accumulated enough wealth to rival the Catholic Church. Maybe even more so. So money isn’t an object when it comes to pleasing you.”

“But you don’t need to spend that much money on me. I’m not worth it, and besides-” I stiffened when Aro grabbed my arm. But unlike Andy, he was gentle, but firm. Inwardly, I panicked. He would probably see all the erotic, undisclosed thoughts I had about him.

“Margaret, look at me.” I bit my lip, debating if I should listen to him. In the end, I did what Aro said so he wouldn’t touch my face. What I found was not a look of desire, but one of tenderness. “I never want to hear you say that again. You are very much worth it, and don’t let that idiotic fool make you think otherwise.” I presumed he was talking about Marcus. We stared at each other for a while, before I realized he was still touching my arm, so I quickly pulled it away. “Don’t worry my dear, my gift only works on bare skin.”

“Then why haven’t you touched me?” 

“Would you like me to touch you?” Aro raised a quizzical brow at me as my eyes fluttered shut. Damn him. Damn him for being so intoxicating. And the music wasn’t helping.

“I-” But before I could respond, a strong sensation came from my stomach. Aro was at my side before my knees could buckle out. “I think I need to sit down.” Aro helped me to a bench nearby, which was, thankfully, hidden by a tall hedge. Once sitting, I rubbed my stomach fervently.

“My dear, are you alright? Do I need to escort you back to your hotel? Or better yet, a doctor?” I shook my head.

“No, it’s alright. The baby’s just kicking, that’s all.” Aro smiled.

“And does the piccolino do this alot?”

“Not really, only when I think of y-” But I stopped before I could finish that damning sentence. However, from the gleam in Aro’s eyes, I knew he knew what I was about to say.

“I see.” Standing up slowly, he got down in front of me on his knees. What the fuck is he doing?! I closed my eyes as I felt Aro placed his hands on my stomach gently. And then another kick. Aro looked up at me, with a dazed look on his face. “Magnifico.” The baby continued to kick as Aro rubbed my stomach again. While it was comforting, somehow I found it strangely erotic and let out a small moan.   
Aro looked up at me again, and a devilish smirk appeared on his face. Slowly, his hands traveled up my body, touching places where he only touched me in my dreams. Somehow, he managed to lay me down on the bench and climb on top of me, with a knee separating my legs. Exactly like my dream. His hands pinned my wrists down as I squirmed slightly. I could feel my heart beat faster as the thought of him biting down on my neck like in my dream floated around in my mind. He leaned his head down until our noses were almost touching. “Aro,” I whispered hoarsely. 

“Mia bella.” I could see he wanted to kiss me. And a strange part of me wanted him to do it. He was only inches away when I heard Hannah cry out of name. The tension broke, and Aro growled as I whimpered in frustration. What was wrong with me. Aro was quickly back on his feet before I was. “I think your friends are missing you my dear. I think it’s time you should go back to the party before they come looking for you.” I pouted.

“But I don’t want to…” And that was the truth. Ok, maybe I did. I promised William a waltz.

Aro chuckled, “I know my dear. You put on quite a show up there.” I froze. Was he listening the whole time?! He only chuckled further at my incredulous stare, that bastard. I was about to put my mask back on when Aro snatched it from my hands. “Here, let me…” He brought up the mask and I held it in place as he tied it. 

But then I felt his fingers brush against my neck, and I froze. Whether he did that on accident or on purpose, I’ll never know. Aro didn’t move his fingers for quite some time. And when he did, he placed his hands on my shoulders as he kissed my neck, making me moan. He kissed his way all the way up to my ear, where he whispered, “I think you and I need to have a chat soon, my sweet.” I turned to look at him, only to find that he was already gone.


	27. Into the Lion's Den

The day before we had to fly back home, Hannah and I hit up the beach after visiting more places I didn’t get to see. Like the Trevi fountain and the Coliseum. I was glad Hannah brought her camera with her, because I totally forgot to buy some disposables like I did before I went to visit mom. And unlike with Andy, I wasn’t annoyed by Hannah’s constant photography. I actually enjoyed it. I casually mentioned how these settings would make for great maternity photos, and since then, Hannah has yet to cease her clicking. Not that I minded. I thought about having photos done, but where was I to find the time? Most of them were silly, and not really professionally done. But that’s what made them great.

It was almost sunset, and we were walking along the beach, looking for the perfect spot. Hannah was wearing white capris, a tank top, and a floppy sun hat with sunglasses. I managed to find a cute tankini that was pink and had blue flowers on it, along with a sheer lace cover up and Capri sandals Jackie O used to wear. I also bought a headscarf like Alice wore the last time we came to Italy.

I sighed deeply as I embraced the sun on my bear skin, hearing the waves of the ocean creep up and down the shoreline. This was the true definition of bliss. If only it could stay this way forever. My thoughts went back to the night before, when I encountered Aro. And his tantalizing lips and sinful hands. Oh god, just the thought of him running his hands up and down my body while he teased my neck with his cool, soft lips made me want to moan. And I almost did, until I remembered Hannah was right next to me. I tried to stop my thoughts from wandering back to last night, but it was no use. The fact that I almost let Aro kiss me was driving me mad. What was wrong with me? If I kissed him, my fate would be sealed. Doomed to live in a gilded cage, never to see the sun again. On the other hand-  
“Dude, are you even listening to me?”

“Hm?” To be honest, I really wasn’t. It was like I left my mind back on the cool, stone bench with Aro nearly pressing himself against me. Hannah sighed out of annoyance.

“Of course you weren’t. I asked if this spot was ok?”

“Yeah, sure. As long as you don’t bury me in sand.”

“Aw, but that would be such a fun shot!” But despite her pleas, I shook my head.

“No, Han.” She pouted as I untied my coverup and faced the ocean, gazing at the canvas before me. The sky was a mixture of blues, oranges, pinks, and purples. It was truly magnificent. Taking off my sandals, I carefully let my feet touch the water that moved back and forth on the shore. Surprisingly, it wasn't as cold as I thought it would be. In fact, I welcomed it. As much as I loved the warm heat on my body, I was starting to burn, despite the sunscreen. 

It was intoxicating. I still couldn’t believe I was here, in Italy, standing on a beautiful beach. All my memories from last night, both good and bad, disappeared into the sunset as Hannah and I had the time of our lives making memories. Memories I would cherish long after she was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Holy fuck, I was so tired. We should not have stayed up so late, I thought to myself as Hannah and I finished packing our things, at 3 in the morning. Again. Gah! How I hated time zones! Georgiana’s father kindly let us use his limo to take us back to the airport in Florence. I was so looking forward to being home with dad and Bella. Speaking of which, I wonder how the situation in Seattle was going. Did the police ever find that one kid whose parents came to dad for help? All these questions floated around in my mind as I snuggled next to Hannah in the car. But I soon forgot them as I drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Surprisingly, we made it to Florence exactly in 3 hours, unlike our trip to Rome. I may have slept the whole way, but I was still exhausted. It was like I was a zombie as I trudged alongside Hannah. We were waiting in line for a TSA check when I saw a familiar face coming our way. I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. But my eyes widened as soon as I saw who it was. Carlisle was the last person I thought would see in an Italian Airport. 

But his sudden appearance wasn’t what shocked me the most. There was something in his eyes, which were cleverly disguised by contacts, that concerned me. And his grim expression didn’t help either. “Carlisle, what-”

“Maggie, there’s no time to explain. You need to come with me.” I turned to look at Hannah, who looked at the two of us curiously. I just shrugged my shoulders and mouthed ‘I’ll be back’ before I left with Carlisle.

“Carlisle, what about my things-”

“There’s no time for that now. I’ll send them to you later, but for now you need to come with me.” Wait, what did he mean by that? Before I could process that thought, Carlisle grabbed my hand and practically dragged me through the airport, with my other hand holding onto my purse and laptop case for dear life.

It was only a little after 6 in the morning and the sun was already bright as fuck. I groaned as I pulled my headscarf and sunglasses out of my purse as we approached a Porsche similar to the one Alice stole, except it was black. What was with this family and grand theft auto?! “Carlisle, what-” But before I knew it, I was shoved into the passenger side of the car.

“There’s no time!” I only grumbled as Carlisle got into the driver’s seat and sped off. If I was exhausted this morning, there was no word to describe how I was feeling. Before I could ask Carlisle why he was kidnapping me, I fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suddenly, I felt like I was having a nightmare. Or was I? Someone was yanking me around like a rag doll. I mumbled something as I stumbled forward, my hand in someone else’s. Despite their cold touch, I was grateful for their hand, as I feared I would fall forward and down...the steps?! The fuck?! Where did they come from? But my mind was still in zombie mode as I stood on the borderline between consciousness and unconsciousness. 

It wasn’t until I felt my back press against a cool, metallic surface did I finally regain some consciousness. Even though I was exhausted beyond belief, my eyes were able to open slightly. Once I was able to regain my senses, I took off my sunglasses to take in my surroundings, only to drop them when I recognized the elevator we were in. I turned and gave Carlisle a wary look. “Carlisle…” The good doctor didn’t respond to the worrisome tone in my voice as he avoided my gaze all together. 

The elevator reached the ground floor and opened to a very formal and cold reception area. I was expecting the same woman who greeted me the last time I came down here. But I was surprised to find a new woman behind the reception desk. She had dark hair like the last one, but was dressed more provocatively. She too, greeted us in Italian. 

However, once the doors opened, I pressed my back to the cool, metallic surface like it was glue. Once Carlisle realized I didn’t follow him out of the elevator, he turned back to look at me. “Maggie?” He held out a hand for me to take, but I furiously shook my head.

“No. Absolutely not, Carlisle.”

“Maggie, please-”

“I said no, Carlisle! Not until you tell me why you dragged to the abyss of the underworld.”

“Maggie, do I have to carry you over my shoulder?” I froze when I heard the stern tone in Carlisle’s voice, something I haven’t heard before. And frankly, he didn’t seem the type to raise his voice either. 

I bit my lip, debating whether or not I should get off the elevator, knowing exactly where that hallway led to. And who it leads to. Where did Carlisle get off for dragging me down to the man who aggravated and enticed me at the same time?! And with no explanation! But the other night left me mystified, especially when Aro said him and I needed to chat soon. And like always, the little devil on my shoulder convinced me to do something I didn’t really want to do.

I tentatively stepped out of the elevator and walked behind Carlisle as Johnny Cash’s “Won’t Back Down” played in my head. There really isn’t an easy way out, is there? A sense of foreboding pooled in my stomach as we continued our descent through the dimly lit hall. My nervousness only heightened when we reached the ornate double doors, finding Felix and Demetri standing outside. I could feel their eyes burn a hole through me as I put my sunglasses back on in order to avoid looking at them. And so I could hide my face as Carlisle and I stepped into the throne room of the Volturi.

“Ah, Carlisle, what a pleasant surprise. To what do we owe the pleasure?” As soon as I heard Aro’s voice, I froze. Whether it was out of fear or out of desire, I had no clue. Carlisle was about to respond until he realized I stood in the doorway. He raised an eyebrow and nodded his head in a come hither motion. Scowling slightly, I shuffled in quietly, trying to stay behind Carlisle. But Aro saw me. And even though I had my sunglasses on, I could still see his eyes darken with desire as a small smile began to form.

“I’m going to get straight to the point, Aro. The situation with the newborns has gotten worse.” Oh shit, this can’t be good. My eyes flickered to Aro, whose smile disappeared. From his throne, Aro stood up and slowly made his way towards us.

“What happened, Carlisle? Young Jane has told me your coven managed to eradicate the newborns.”

“We did. However, they were being manipulated by two other vampires.” I turned my head sharply to look up at Carlisle after I removed my sunglasses.

“Wait, what?” Carlisle looked at me before returning his gaze to the marble floor. “Carlisle, I thought it was just Victoria?”

“It appeared to be that Victoria was using another vampire, in order to hide herself from Alice’s visions. I believe it was the young man that went missing in Seattle over a year ago.” I felt my blood run cold as I recalled the day I saw his parents at the station talking to dad. 

I pressed my hands to my lips, fearing where this was going. “Carlisle, what happened to him?” I whispered hoarsely before Aro could say anything. 

“Edward was able to rip an arm off before going back to Victoria while Seth finished him off.” Fuck, those poor parents! 

“Wait, Seth? Why wasn’t Jake there?” Now Carlisle was purposely avoiding my gaze, and a chill went down my spine. But this time, it was one of fear. “Carlisle…”

“Jake was with us down in the clearing. However, one of the newborns attacked him from behind and bit him.” Suddenly, my knees felt like jelly as I let out a half-hearted scream. Someone managed to catch me before I could collapse. Once I calmed down, I removed my face from their chest, and recognized the pendant that hung from their neck. I blushed slightly, realizing it was Aro, and looked up at him. Only Aro wasn’t paying attention to me at all. I noticed his other hand was holding Carlisle’s.

“Is...is he alright? Carlisle, please tell me he’s alright?” 

“Well, all of his bones on the right side of his body are completely shattered.” What the fuck?! No! However, after seeing the crestfallen expression on my face, Carlisle was able to backtrack before I could have a meltdown. “But he’ll live. He’s healing at an incredible rate. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was back on his feet in a few days.” Oh, thank god! 

I let out a deep sigh as my grip on Aro slackened. “And what about Bella? Is she alright?”

“Don’t worry, Bella’s fine. Nothing a few stitches won’t fix.” Wait, what? What the hell happened to my sister?! 

Suddenly, I felt myself getting angry. And I’m not sure who I should be angry at. Should I be mad at myself for not being there to protect my little sister? Should I be mad at Bella for purposely getting into trouble? Or should I be mad at Edward for letting this happen in the first place? My brain didn’t know what to think. It was definitely too early for this. 

I managed to untangle myself from Aro, and rubbed my temples. “Carlisle, what did she do now?”

“She attempted to distract Victoria so Edward would be able to destroy her. I believe you’re familiar with the tale of the third wife?” My stomach lurched, and I could feel myself wanting to collapse to the floor. But I was able to hold myself up as I felt both my hands and jaw stiffen.

“So she stabbed herself in the abdomen…” I brought a hand to my own stomach, as if I could feel the pain myself. Although, with the party going on in my own stomach…

“Oh, no, no, no. She just cut her arm enough to grab Victoria’s attention.” I sighed as I rubbed my face, trying to understand my sister’s actions.

“Oh my god, Bella,” I muttered to myself before meeting Carlisle’s gaze. “Well, I guess we better get going. I can’t leave those two alone for a second!” I turned and started to walk out before Carlisle grabbed my wrist gently.

“Maggie, I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.” I looked at Carlisle, my brows furrowed in annoyance.

“What? Why? Carlisle, Bella’s my sister and Jake’s my friend. They need me right now.” I tried to leave once more, but Felix and Demetri both stood in my way. Glaring at the pair slightly, I slowly turned back to face Carlisle. “Carlisle, what’s going on?” Frankly, my voice contained more nervousness than I intended. “Carlisle, you’re scaring me…”

The good doctor took a long look at me before sighing, internally debating with himself. “Despite Edward and Bella’s efforts, Victoria managed to escape.” I felt myself visibly stiffen as my blood ran cold Escape?! How?! I glanced at Aro from the corner of my eye. Needless to say, he didn’t look too happy. Infact, he looked like a ticking time bomb

With his jaw clenched, Aro slowly stepped forward, looking Carlisle straight in the eye, ignoring me completely. “Pray tell, Carlisle. I would be most interested to hear how a coven as small as yours can single handedly defeat an army of newborns, yet let their leader slip through fingers.” Woah, woah, woah. Was he blaming the Cullens for Victoria escaping? 

I turned my head and glared slightly at Aro. “Ok, now that’s not fair. They literally fought off a newborn army while it was only Bella and Edward. I don’t think one vampire could’ve stopped her.” But Aro paid no attention to me as he continued to stare hard at Carlisle, who seemed to agree with me.

“Maggie’s right, Aro. Once Bella had cut herself and distracted Victoria, Edward managed to grab a hold of her and almost tore her head off. But Bella’s bleeding got somewhat out of control and he had to go help her. He had no choice but to let Victoria go.”

“I see…” Carlisle was able to convince Aro that this really happened, and I believed him, but there was still a hint of danger in Aro’s eyes. No one said anything as my eyes flicked back and forth between Aro.

“So now what? Are we going to form some sort of posse or something? Cause I’d be down to slay some vampire ass!” Carlisle smiled sadly.

“As much as I admire your enthusiasm Maggie, I’m afraid it would be too dangerous for you. Alice already saw that Victoria decided to go after you, so I’m going to need you to stay here.”

“Oh come on Carlisle, that’s not fair. I’ve spent weeks learning how to shoot-” But then I froze when I caught the tail end of his sentence. “Wait, what?!” I felt a cool hand settle on my shoulder. And it wasn’t Carlisle’s. A slight shiver of foreboding went down my spine, and I felt Aro’s grip on my shoulder tighten. I looked up at Carlisle, who refused to meet my gaze. “Carlisle, please tell me you’re joking right now.”

“I’m afraid I’m not, Maggie. Aro has kindly agreed to keep an eye on you while we hunt for Victoria.” I deadpanned, giving Aro a narrowed side eye. 

“And just how long will that take?” Carlisle sighed, and I knew I wasn’t going to like his answer.

“We don’t know that. Alice is having trouble seeing where Victoria is. She keeps on moving.” I felt myself go numb, trying to process my emotions. A somber pause filled the chamber again as I struggled to accept the news I was given. Bella was safe, which was good. Victoria was now after me, which was somewhat concerning. And now I was going to be trapped here in Volterra until she is found. Despite how ridiculous it sounded, that was probably the worst news of them all. And I didn’t know whether to be frightened or exhilarated.

I tore myself from Aro’s grip, and stood nose to nose with Carlisle, who could sense my growing displeasure. “This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?” I asked quietly. “You knew this was going to happen, and you let me come to Italy for that wedding.” I turned to glare at Aro, who seemed a bit disturbed at my tone of voice. “And you…” I came face to face with the man whose lips I wanted pressed against my own, and I was sorely tempted to lean in further. I could see it in his eyes that he was silently egging me on to do it. But I resisted. “This was your plan after all. Wasn’t it?”

“Maggie, it wasn’t like that-” But I ignored Carlisle and continued to stare at Aro with great intensity, ignoring the sexual tension that lingered in the air.

“Carlisle told you all this beforehand, didn’t he? You both conspired that I would end up here, to be kept in a gilded cage like a songbird.”

“My dear, you’re exhausted. Perhaps you should go lie down.” There was a slight edge in his voice, from frustration with my attitude or due to the sexual tension that hung over us like a storm cloud. Suddenly, Demetri and Felix at my side, ready to drag me to a dungeon. We both stood there, silently egging each other on to see who would crack first. It wasn’t until Carlisle put a hand on my shoulder that the spell was broken, bringing me back to reality.

“Maggie, Aro’s right. You do look exhausted. Why don’t I help you before I leave?” I let my gaze flicker between the two again before slowly nodded at Carlisle. I gave Aro one last knowing glance before letting Carlisle guide me out of the throne room, with Demetri and Felix in tow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aro POV

Well, well. It seemed that fate was on my side afterall. As promised in his first letter, Carlisle brought her to Volterra to be placed in my protection. I pressed my fingertips to my lips as I watched young Margaret be escorted to her room that I had prepared. Inwardly, I felt relieved that she was out of the room, as it was becoming difficult to restrain myself. I know we both felt the tension that surrounded us. I could see it in her eyes. Her beautiful, stubborn eyes. 

I let my eyes close, recalling the night of the wedding.

*Flashback*  
I wandered about the party, lazily watching the humans mingle. What a truly pathetic party it was. It seems to me that over the years, expectations and the quality of weddings had declined. Perhaps that explained the high divorce rate among mortals. Slowly, I was growing frustrated at my mate not being here, and I had to resist the urge to slaughter everyone in sight. I was far from Volterra, so there was nothing holding me back from doing so. Except perhaps, drawing attention to myself if anyone outside the party caught wind of what happened. And I was alone, so there was no chance of a single vampire wiping out hundreds of humans at once.

I was sorely tempted to leave, thinking this was just a trick of Carlisle’s, when her blood called out to me. Margaret. I closed my eyes and licked my lips slightly, feeling thankful that I hunted before attending this rather shabby party. 

It was hard for me to find her at first, given the fact that everyone was wearing masks. I wandered aimlessly among the crowd as people danced, when I finally spotted my mate. My mate, who was dancing with another man. I felt my venom boil, but I restrained myself. The conversation I heard between Margaret and the boy was a lot more pleasant than the conversation I heard between her and her former suitor. The young man she was dancing with had pure intentions, and actually acted like a gentleman. Despite Margaret defying me and flirting with the boy, I held myself back. I managed to catch her eye while she was dancing, but only for a brief moment. And in that moment, I could see faint recognition in her eyes. 

But the conversation I heard between her and that idiotic boy she once called a suitor was infuriating. First, he accused the man who previously held Margaret’s attention for taking advantage of her. I scoffed. Why did Americans have poor demeanors when it came to other people’s intentions? 

I saw Margaret turn to leave from the dance floor, only to be grabbed by the wrist, almost quite forcefully. I let a low growl at the sight of my mate being held against her will. It reminded me too much of her memories of being assaulted by her previous suitor.   
The conversation took me by surprise, to say the least. Both good and bad. Despite Margaret’s attitude and thoughts of me, she became very defensive when the boy attacked my character. My anger subsided slightly, as I felt a small surge of affection for Margaret. It made me want to take her right then and there. But again, I restrained myself.

My anger returned when I heard the boy accuse me of “stealing” Margaret away from him. As if she was his to begin with. I had to smirk slightly when she defended herself before storming away from the rest of the party. Without drawing any attention to myself, I followed her down the lawn where she sat on the fountain. My heart ached for her, or it would if I were alive, as I watched her tear the mask off and threw it across the lawn. I heard Margaret sigh as she stood up to retrieve it. That’s when I decided to make my presence known.

I followed Margaret as she strolled across the lawn, sensing that she knew I was following her. “You don't have to hide yourself, you know. I know you've been watching me." I had to chuckle. Despite being human, Margaret did seem to have good senses. 

“You are quite astute for someone of your age my dear,” I untied my own mask as I stepped closer to get a better look at my mate. If I were still human, I’m sure my heart would have stopped beating at the sight of her. She was truly beautiful. Not that she didn’t look any less beautiful in her ordinary clothes, but Margaret looked much more like a Volturi queen in her evening gown, which hid her pregnancy well.

“Aro.” Just hearing my name come out of her mouth put me on the edge. It was a good thing it was dark out, or she could see how much I was suppressing my desires.  
“Hello again, mia tesoro.” I saw her shiver slightly, and felt a smirk forming on my face. I thought it was quite attractive, and I would certainly miss it when I turned her. “My, my, you look very beautiful tonight my dear.” She was absolutely ravishing. I sensed blood rushing to Margaret’s face as she tried to hide her embarrassment. Another endearing trait I would miss.

“Thanks. Alice made it.”

“Ah, I see Alice is a vampire of many talents.” She truly was. It was my hope that one day both Edward and her will join the Volturi. But for now, I’ll wait and see how the situation with Isabella turns out.

“What do you want from me, Aro?” I chuckled darkly. Oh, she can’t imagine all the things I wanted to do to her. Ever since that day in Volterra, I’ve been having an increasing amount of intimate images of Margaret and myself float around in my head. One including myself sitting in my throne, gripping at Margaret’s hips as she rode me. Each of these visions ended up with me breaking things in my office, which are easily replaceable. So far, I had to replace my chair more than five times.

“For now, cara mia, a walk.” I extended my arm for her to take, but only sighed when she didn’t. Was she always going to be this difficult? Something in my mind told me that she was. But I didn’t mind. I loved a good challenge. And this challenge I would win. We strolled around the fountain, and I could sense Margaret becoming increasingly shy, which I found adorable. I chuckled when her hand went up to the gift I sent her. “I see you’re wearing the gift I got you. Do you like, cara mia?”

“It’s very beautiful, but why did you give it to me? Alice already got me a necklace?” I chuckled at her innocence. 

“My dear, I gave it to you because I wanted to. You are very precious to me.” Much more precious than anything I own. More precious than the guard. More precious than the entire coven.

“But it looks so expensive-” I had to chuckle again at her naive nature. It was almost endearing.

“My dear Margaret, over the course of the time Marcus, Caius and I have ruled Volterra, we have accumulated enough wealth to rival the Catholic Church. Maybe even more so. So money isn't an object when it comes to pleasing you." 

“But you don’t need to spend that much money on me. I’m not worth it, and besides-” I gently grabbed her arm, feeling upset at her words. How could she ever think that way? But then again, that mongrel she was with before we met certainly made her feel like garbage. Something I wanted to rectify immediately.

“Margaret, look at me.” I saw her hesitate, as if she were afraid to meet my eyes. But eventually she did turn to look at me, and my heart ached once more. So much sadness in her beautiful, blue eyes. “I never want to hear you say that again. You are very much worth it, and don’t let that idiotic fool make you think otherwise.” Her gaze softened as she looked at me, almost as if she wanted to pull me into an embrace. We stood like that for a few moments before she pulled her arm away, as if she were afraid that I was going to read her thoughts. “Don’t worry, my dear, my gift only works on bare skin.”

“Then why haven’t you touched me?” Oh, now she was really egging me on now. If she knew how tempted I was…

“Would you like me to touch you?” I didn’t mean for my words to come out so seductively, but I knew it would work to my advantage. Margaret shivered again, causing desire to pool within me.

“I-” But before she could finish that sentence, Margaret looked like she was going to collapse. And I managed to catch her before she did. “I think I need to sit down.” Glancing around, I quickly spotted a bench that was hidden from the view from the rest of the party, and carefully guided Margaret and gently sat her down.

“My dear, are you alright? Do I need to escort you back to your hotel? Or better yet, a doctor?” I inwardly cursed Carlisle for not being nearby. Maybe Margaret should have stayed back home.

“No, it’s alright. The baby’s just kicking, that’s all.”

“And does the piccolino do this alot?”

“Not really, only when I think of y-” But Margaret froze before she could say what she was going to say. I smirked, the thought of her thinking of me delighted me so. 

“I see.” Slowly standing up from the bench, I got down on my knees in front of her and put my hands on her stomach. And that’s when I felt the most wonderful sensation I ever felt. Who knew an infant’s kick could be so powerful. I looked up at Margaret, who was watching me with a mixture of amusement and wonder. “Magnifico.” 

The infant continued to kick as I gently rubbed Margaret’s stomach. But what I heard next was not what I was expecting. Margaret moaned, and I looked up at her with a devilish smirk. Pushing my luck, I gently moved my hands upward, feeling every inch of her. Eventually, I found myself on top of her, with a knee separating her legs and my hands pinning her wrists. I leaned forward, our noses barely touching, and I could feel myself harden. “Aro,” I heard Margaret whisper, as if she were on edge. Hearing my name once more only made my desire stronger.

“Mia bella.” Oh, how much I wanted to kiss her. To feel her warm, soft lips against my cold ones. I could see it in her eyes that she wanted me to, and I was so close to doing so. If it weren’t for her blasted friend that broke the enchantment between us, yelling out Margaret’s name. I growled out of frustration as I got on my feet. I could only clench my fists as I heard my mate wimper, boosting my confidence. “I think your friends are missing you my dear. I think it’s time you should go back to the party before they come looking for you.”

“But I don’t want too…” I chuckled once more. Sometimes I wonder if her innocence was going to kill me.

“I know my dear. You put on quite a show up there.” Margaret stiffened before turning to look at me in shock. Surely she must’ve known I was listening to her little conversations. I took the mask from her, feeling the need to outshine the fools she talked to earlier. “Here, let me…” As Margaret brought the mask back up to her face, I tied it gently before I felt my fingers graze her neck. I stood behind her in shock. I was not expecting her mind to be so...colorful. It seems to be that I wasn’t the only one who had revealing images go through their head. Just seeing what she had thought made my desire even more obvious. Pressing against her, I brought my lips to her neck, relishing in her soft flesh. As I kissed from her shoulder to her ear, I hesitated at her neck, trying to gauge her reaction. It was clear Margaret found the idea of a vampire’s bite on a neck very appealing, given the fact that most of her dreams of me ended up that way. I was so driven with desire, it was very hard for me to move on up to her ear. “I think you and I need to have a chat soon, my sweet.”

Not wanting to expose my desire, I rushed back home to Volterra. Ignoring the guard’s greeting, I hurried to my office and locked the door. The images that ran through Margaret’s mind were beginning to feel too much, and I had to release my frustration. Sitting at my desk, I undid my belt and trousers, slipping my hand beneath the black fabric. As I stroked myself, I found myself gripping the arm of my chair as my mind went back to Margaret’s visions. Why did she have to be so enticing? As I neared my release, I bit down on my lip to prevent me from crying out loud. But it was no use. I cried out Margaret’s name, imagining her laying across my desk, her beautiful flesh flustered, hair askew. And that’s when I heard the arm of my chair break off. Damn!

*End Flashback*

Marcus’ voice broke me out of my reverie. “Brother, are you alright?” Glancing out the side of my eye, I nodded at Marcus. 

“I’m perfectly fine, brother.” In fact, I was more than fine. I was elated. Let the game of cat and mouse begin, my dear.


	28. Ready or Not

It seemed like days had passed by before I awoke from my deep slumber. Whether because I was exhausted or because I was sleeping in what seemed to be the comfiest bed ever. Seriously. I felt like I was laying on a cloud. Yawning, I slowly opened my eyes, trying to adjust to the intense sunlight? Wait, what? Surely it still can’t be light out?

I sat up and stretched before my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as they took in my surroundings. I was laying in a very luxurious bed that sat at the end of a room, which was twice the size of my room back home, that was very ornate itself. Almost if it were fit for royalty. It reminded of Versailles, with a lot of blues and golds and a great chandelier that hung from above. I briefly wondered how in the hell they managed to get electricity to run in this place when a knock came from the other side of the room. I didn’t have time to respond when in came in the woman with the lovely mahogany hair. The same woman who brought me unwillingly to my gilded cage. I think her name is Heidi, but I wasn’t sure.

“Oh good, you’re awake.” I grimaced at her overly cheerful tone. It was too early for this! Or was it too late? What day is it?! Groaning, I stretched again as I pushed the covers away from my body and sat on my knees, watching Heidi as she buzzed about the room.

“Uh, yeah.” I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly as I watched her go back and forth between the magnificent, baby blue and gold chiffarobe and the equally divine dresser. I was growing suspicious. After the necklace incident, I was afraid what else Aro had up his sleeve. This room alone made my skin crawl. “So...What time is it really?”  
Heidi didn’t look at me as she continued to rummage for what I assumed was a change of clothing for me, as all my luggage is probably still on a flight back to Washington. I narrowed my eyes as irritation started to bubble underneath my skin. He better not have done what I think he’s done.

I watched Heidi continue to move about the room, grumbling to herself. Moving carefully, I crawled to the edge of the vast bed, and sat myself on the edge of the bed. “So….” Despite my menial efforts to find out the time, Heidi still didn’t look at me. And right now, I wasn’t sure who to be more irritable with, her or the man who was doing everything possible to win my affections. 

It wasn’t until Heidi became satisfied with a piece of clothing she pulled out of nowhere before she finally turned her attention back to me. Wearing the same devious smile she wore when she kidnapped me, Heidi walked towards me and tossed me a black garment. I looked at it briefly before returning my questionable gaze to Heidi. “Are you ever going to tell me what time it is?” 

But Heidi only laughed. “You’re a persistent little thing, aren’t you?” I opened my mouth to protest, but I found that I could only scowl. Little thing? What was she talking about? Sure, in my non-pregnant state I’m quite petite, but now? Ha! After noticing my gaze, Heidi ceased her laughing and looked at her watch, sighing. “I suppose there’s no harm in telling you. Even though us vampires have no use for time.” I winced as she let out another laugh, which could rival Aro’s in terms of creepiness. When she noticed I wasn’t laughing with her, Heidi looked away awkwardly. “Yes, well...It looks like it's just a little after 9.”

I turned to look out the pair of French doors that lead out to a balcony (seriously?!) and noticed the stream of sunlight starting to pour through the window panes. That’s when I did a double take. A little after 9? That can’t be right. “As in 9 in the morning? You mean to tell me I slept for only 3 and a half hours?” 

Heidi let out another obnoxious laugh. “Oh, honey no. You’ve been sleeping for way longer than that. I think you slept for the entire day yesterday.” WHAT?! I could feel my eyes bug in their sockets as I looked at the vampire sitting next to me, quite incredulously. “Don’t look so surprised. You were quite tired when you and Dr. Cullen arrived yesterday.” That was true.

“Well, why didn’t anyone wake me?!” There was an edge to my voice as I gently rubbed my stomach. There was absolutely no denying that I was starving. However, my glare failed to move Heidi.

“I tried to hon, but you wouldn’t budge. You were out like a light.” She let another cringeworthy laugh. I opened my mouth, about to sass her back, before deciding it was no use arguing. In fact, I don’t doubt that I was out the entire day. The bed I was currently sitting on was as soft as a cloud. My eyes returned to the black garment that Heidi tossed at me. Standing up slowly, I let the garment slink about halfway down my body. Heidi only smirked as I gawked at the dress. “You like it? Aro wanted only the best for you.” I had to suppress a scoff. That man was becoming a thorn in my side.

“Ok, but black?! You can’t be serious!” Tossing the garment back onto the bed, I made my way to the chiffarobe to find something other than the color black. Much to my dismay, a sea of black and dark shades of purple and red. Sure, back in my goth phase wearing these colors on a 24/7 bases seemed very appealing. But once I hit high school, that ship sank real fast. High school was a different experience for me, much more different than middle school. Perhaps it was because everyone fell into their own little cliques after experimenting with different groups in middle school. Or maybe it was because of the many rites of passages that marked the transition to adulthood. When I hit high school, I experienced a transition I never thought I’d make when I was going through my goth phase. 

I never really noticed my developing features until the end of middle school. Sure, I started wearing a training bra, but that was it. But high school...Man, talk about a sexual awakening. The swan inside me that was slumbering finally awakened, or whatever that bullshit Professor McGonagall talked about in Goblet of Fire. I discarded my dark clothes from my relatively short goth phase and acquired a more feminine look, even though looking back now the clothes were atrocious back then. But just because I finally yielded to my feminine desires didn’t mean I stopped being sassy.

Heidi let out another laugh, which was starting to irritate me beyond belief. Seriously, if it were possible I would be strangling her right about now. “Well, what did you expect? The Volturi are known to wear dark colors. It helps us look more intimidating.” WILL SHE EVER STOP LAUGHING?! I sighed before picking up the garment and tossing it back to her.

“Yeah well, I’m not wearing this.” Finally, she stopped laughing!

“Why not? I think it’s a beautiful dress, if I do so myself. But then again, I did pick it out myself.” Oh. My. God! Enough with the laughter! Something tells me this woman was very full of herself. I gave Heidi an icy stare as she continued to indulge herself in what seemed to be, according to her mind, a mixture of pure hilarity and sheer genius.

“It is, but seriously? I’m not going to wear black for the rest of my life.”

“Oh come on, it’s not that bad. You’ll get used to it after a decade or two.” I don’t know who was trying my patience, her or Aro! Stop. Laughing!

“It sounds depressing. And besides,” I gestured to my ever growing bump. “You really think I can fit into this little thing?” I gestured back to the garment that lay in Heidi’s lap. Suddenly, her expression changed from one of amusement to one that looked like a brilliant idea had just occurred to her. 

Without warning, the loquacious vampire stood up suddenly, grabbing the black dress with her. She walked back over to the chiffarobe and carefully hung the dress back up. Beckoning to me to follow her, Heidi walked to the other side of the room. Against my better judgement, I slowly made my over to her, with one brow raised. “Mind telling me why we’re staring at a wall?” Seriously, what the fuck? Thankfully, Heidi only smirked at me this time.

“Honey, it’s more than just a wall. Look...there!” She pointed out a small panel that I didn’t notice before. I raised a brow, extending an arm towards it. Biting my lip, I hesitated. What if this was a trap? Inclining my head slightly, I looked at Heidi from the corners of my eyes. “Aren’t you going to open it?” Ok, now I was starting to get suspicious. 

I reached out for the panel again, only to pull back again. I fully turned to look at Heidi, my arms crossed against my chest. “You really expect me to fall for this? I mean, come on! Am I being Punk’d or something? Do you guys have an Italian version of Punk’d?” Heidi only laughed. I continued to stare at the panel before deciding to put my hand on the latch that lay hidden behind the panel.

However, I froze again once my hand touched the latch. No, I can’t do this. I really couldn’t. Not because I was afraid of what was inside, but because I knew that when I opened it, it would be another unnecessary, grandiose gift from Aro. And whatever it was that lay inside, I knew it was going to annoy me beyond belief. I was almost sure I would chicken out, but I didn’t want to give Heidi the satisfaction.

So, carefully, I closed my hand around the latch before taking a shaky breath. I kept my eyes focused on the so-called wall as I whispered hoarsely to Heidi. “And how exactly am I supposed to open it?” I heard Heidi let out a dramatic sigh before shoving me out of the way. Rude much?!

I stood silently and watched as Heidi pushed slightly against the wall, making it open. Well now I felt like an idiot. I felt my face heat up slightly as Heidi turned to look at me with a smug grin on her face. “Well, what are you waiting for?” There was a kind of exciting tone in Heidi’s voice as my eyes flitted back and forth between her and the hidden room that was now exposed to me, as if she were part of an elaborate trap. 

Biting my lip, I took one last look at the fantastical bedroom before carefully waddling into the secret room. My apprehension only grew worse as I carefully stepped farther into the darkened room. I nearly stumbled over an unidentified object before catching myself on what seemed to be an ottoman. I sat myself down gently, my fingers grazing over the upholstery. “So...Any reason why we’re sitting in the dark like a couple of bats?” In times of distress (not counting any of the times throughout my pregnancy where I broke down and cried due to what seems to me an extreme influx of hormones), I tend to rely on my wry humor to act as a coping mechanism. Even though I temporarily lost my sense of vision, I knew Heidi wasn’t impressed by my little joke.

“It should be around here somewhere…” I heard Heidi fumble about before hearing her go ‘aha!’ “Here it is!” And without warning, a sudden burst of light replaced the darkness that covered my vision. I let out a screech as my hands quickly shielded my eyes. 

“I think I just went blind.” I heard Heidi let out a half-hearted sigh of annoyance.

“Oh please, don’t be so dramatic. It’s just the light. I thought you humans loved the light?” Even though I still had my eyes covered, I could tell Heidi was smirking.

“Yeah, but-Urgh!” I tried to uncover my eyes too quickly, thus blinding myself unintentionally. “Damn, why are the lights so bright?!”  
“Well, Master Aro wanted everything perfect for you. Although, now that I think about it, the lights may be a bit much.” What does that even mean? Since when are vampires sensitive to the fluorescents?! I groaned slightly as I continued to rub my eyes. “Come on, hon. Just slowly open your eyes, and you’ll be fine.” Was that a hint of compassion in her voice?! Sighing again, I decided it was best to take Heidi’s advice and let my eyes slowly adjust to the god awful lighting. I was getting tired of her antics anyways.

I hesitantly removed my hands from my eyes, so I can be better prepared for the blinding hell that awaited me. Slowly but surely, I let my eyes open at the same time. At first, I couldn’t see anything due to everything being so frickin bright. But once my eyes adjusted (man, I didn’t realize how shitty my vision was!), my expression turned from one of discomfort to one of shock. Absolute shock. I was so glad I was already sitting down, otherwise I would’ve fallen on my fat ass. 

It turns out the secret room turned out to be a closet. A massive closet, perhaps even bigger than Alice’s. It reminded me of Mia’s closet from the second Princess Diaries movie. However, unlike Mia, I was not blown away by this extravagant and unnecessary gift. Choking back another scream, I slowly stood up and took in my surroundings. It was exactly like Mia’s closet, except there were a ton of dark clothing. My jaw dropped for a moment before I clenched it shut. Tightly. My annoyance towards Aro, which started to pool in the pit of my stomach, turned to anger. What was he playing at? 

I slowly walked around the room, carefully gazing at the clothing that, unfortunately, only came in the dark shades Heidi described earlier. I tried to keep calm as I noticed the “extra” stuff, such as multiple pairs of pumps and flats, and an insane amount of jewelry. Expensive jewelry. I could’ve sworn I felt a vein ready to burst on the side of my head as I tried to contain my anger. The clicks of Heidi’s own shoes grew louder as she walked to stand next to me. I looked at her via my usual side eye, and caught her looking quite pleased with herself. “So? What do you think? Can I pick ‘em or what?” I could only roll my eyes as she let out another one of her annoying laughs.

I turned to look at her with a serious expression, cradling my bump while rubbing it with my thumbs. “Look, I appreciate the fact that you took time out of your indefinite life, but honestly, this is way too much." It really was. Getting that necklace was one thing, but an entire room that came with my own bathroom (I presume the door that stood across the room from this one was a bathroom) and a closet that had endless clothes, shoes and other accessories was a completely different story. That man was beyond getting on my nerves. Was he really that desperate to win my affections?

I paused at that thought, wondering if I was being a little harsh with Aro. And for a brief moment, I almost felt touched. But then I remembered how big of a creeper he was and that fleeting thought soon vanished. Heidi must've sensed that I was extremely overwhelmed and gently put a hand on my shoulder, causing me to shiver in response. "Look, I know this must be a lot for you to take in. You're not used to living in luxurious conditions," I chose to ignore the insult due to the fact that Heidi actually sounded sincere. "But Master Aro only wants the best for you. You mean a great deal to him. You both do."

I blushed slightly as she mentioned my unborn child. Hmmmm. I looked at her for a moment and sighed before looking down at my feet. Or attempting to look down at my feet. Maybe she did have a point. I mean, I knew Aro so little. And the only reason I find him to be a massive creeper because he can read every thought, fantasy, and memory I ever have. And that I don't know what to make of our interactions thus far. After Marcus, I found myself to be wary of other people's intentions. Especially when it comes to romantic intentions. 

But that doesn't mean I'll stop feeling annoyed with him. The way he goes about things, such as his attempts to woo me, were a bit extreme. "Look, why don't you go wash up while I get you something to eat. Both of you must be hungry." I could only blush as Heidi eyed my bump, smiling in a way that reminded me of Rosalie. 

I nodded as she led me out of my hidden closet and across the room to the bathroom. Heidi gave me one last look before vanishing out the room. Sighing again, I timidly entered the bathroom, only to be shocked once more. I'm glad I got most of the shock out of my system from before, because I would have damn near fainted at the site that sat before me. .

I found myself standing in a very ornate looking bathroom, with crown molding on the white walls and other ornate designs carved into the walls. However, surrounding the mirror, which was round and surrounded by many glittery diamonds, appeared to be pink marble. In the middle of the bathroom sat a simple, but elegant bathtub with gold trimmings. At one corner of the bathroom was a shower that was built into the wall, with a transparent door that had gold hinges holding it in place. More pink marble surrounded the entire interior of the shower, which also had, unsurprisingly, a golden faucet and shower head. What really blew me over was the chandelier that hung in the center of the room. It was very large and looked very delicate.

I visibly gulped at the sight before me, feeling more overwhelmed than before. Feeling paranoid, I looked around before I slowly peeled off my overall dress and the striped t-shirt I wore beneath it. Discarding my bra was easy enough, but I wish I could’ve said the same for my panties. I had to sit down in order to wriggle them down to my ankles before tossing them off with my feet. After I was completely naked, I slowly padded over the shower and enclosed myself inside the marble shower and let my hand grazed over the faucet, debating if it was really made of gold.

Once I had the water at an acceptable level (I liked my showers hot), I stepped forward into the steady stream of water, letting every droplet caress my skin. I let out a small moan as the warming sensation enveloped my entire body. This led to very risque images of Aro and his lovely hands caressing every inch of my naked flesh, squeezing in all the right places. Wait, what? Since when did I find his hands ‘lovely?’ Snapping out of my reverie, I shook my head before turning down the heat. Despite not having any physical contact with Aro since yesterday, I scrubbed every inch of my skin, hard. As if I suddenly got dirty.

After washing myself up, I turned the shower off before stepping out onto the cool tile. Subsequently, the tile somehow matched the color scheme of the room, with a mixture of pink, white, and gold in a very intricate design. Thankfully, there was a towel on the towel rack nearby, because now I was cold. Despite living in the pacific Northwest for all my life, I somehow managed to not get completely accustomed to the cold. Oh my lord, this towel was just as soft as the bed! I never met a more fluffier a towel. I stood there, hugging myself for what seemed like forever. 

Once I was dry enough, I looked at my clothes that sat disregarded on the floor, wondering what the hell I was going to do now. I mean, I slept in those clothes last night! Sighing, I wrapped the towel around my body as best I could, I walked back out of the bathroom and sat myself on the bed, debating my options. 

There was no way in hell I was going to give Heidi and Aro the satisfaction of seeing me in dark colors, despite how nice some of those clothes looked. Putting my bra back on, I slipped the t-shirt over my head, followed by the dress. But now I had a problem. I had no clean underwear and I was not going to go commando around here. Especially not with Aro lurking about. Although, there was a part of me that seemed to delight in the idea of walking around with no underwear on just to tease him.

Then my eyes spotted the dresser, and I had a sickly feeling about what was inside of it. Walking over to the regal looking dresser, my fingers grazed each handle, debating which drawer to check first. That bastard better not have- I suddenly lost my train of thought when I opened the drawer, deadpanning at the multiple pairs of panties. Lacy, intimate panties. Panties that I didn’t feel comfortable wearing at this point in time. Panties I didn’t feel comfortable wearing around Aro. I stared at the lot before inwardly groaning. I didn’t have much of a choice, did I?

After randomly selecting a pair I went back and sat on the bed. I had just finished putting on the panties when Heidi came back into the room, carrying a breakfast tray. “I hope you’re hungry. Master Aro said you liked pancakes-” But Heidi stopped mid sentence when she saw that I was still in my old clothes. “Oh! I thought you were taking a shower?” 

“Hm? Oh, I did already.” Heidi looked at me with narrow eyes.

“But you didn’t change.” Was she actually whining?

"And why would I? I told you, black really isn't my thing." I rolled my eyes as Heidi set the tray down at the desk, which I haven't noticed until now) that sat near the fireplace. Suddenly, her prideful demeanor changed.

"Maggie, it really isn't all that bad." Wait, did she actually use my real name? I watched her move frantically from the chiffarobe to the closet with faint amusement in my eyes. Standing up, I stretched before casually making my way to the desk. My mouth watered at the site of chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream on top.

I sat down, not wanting to let the pancakes cold, when I froze. Master Aro said you liked pancakes. I never told him that before. He must've figured it out when he read my thoughts. Although I don't know why he would focus on such a small, insignificant detail of my life when there were more important things to see. Did he only see my most horrible memories, or did he look at every little thing that has occured in my 23 years of life. I felt my heart soften a bit at the thought as I ate my breakfast. The idea that he noticed the little things made me feel a small amount of affection for him.

My train of thought soon derailed as I heard Heidi reappear from the closet, carrying multiple items of clothing. I nearly choked on my orange juice at the site of her depositing the mountain of clothing on the bed. The sound of my aspirations caused Heidi to turn and look at me with a pleading look.

"Maggie, please say you'll wear something else! Master Aro will be terribly upset." And there goes that small amount of affection. If that man thinks he can dictate what I can and cannot wear, he's dead wrong. No pun intended.

Ignoring her pleading look, I returned my attention to my pancakes, and deliberately ate at a slower pace than what I was accustomed to. Once I downed the last drop of oj, I turned to look at Heidi, studying her as if she were a bug.

I slowly stood up from my not so comfortable chair and made my way over to the bed, staring at the multitude of dark clothing that lay before me. Some were dresses, others were blouses and skirts. And not a single pair of pants. I turned and gave Heidi a questioning look. "You really expect me to go my entire life without wearing pants?" Seriously. I lived for yoga pants and sweats.

She looked at me uncertainly. "Master Caius doesn't think it proper for a woman to wear pants. Even his wife, Lady Athenodora, doesn't wear them." Oh, for fucks sake! This asshole again? I scoffed as I rolled my eyes.

"Please, you guys need to get with the program. I mean, it's the 21st century for crying out loud." Heidi opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off. "And how many times do I have to tell you, I adamantly refuse to wear black. I could care less what Aro will think.” It wasn’t a total lie. For the most part, I really didn’t give a damn about Aro’s opinion. But it’s not because of his creepy nature that I think that way. For most of my life, I didn’t really care what other people thought of me. The only exception was when I was a small child. It was only after mom left with Bella that dad took matters in his own hands and taught me how to stick up for myself. The non-violent way of course! But that doesn’t mean I didn’t throw a punch or two, which dad never found out about. 

But despite all this, my insecurities remained, though hidden. Which is the reason why a small part of me, and I mean real small, still cared about Aro’s opinion of me. Despite how controlling he seems to be. Some days I wonder why he would pick me as a mate. Me, of all people. My insecurities weren’t that bad growing up, but after Marcus...I just couldn’t see what was so appealing about me. Besides the obvious.

I stared at Heidi, eyes hard and determined. I stood there, glowering at her, for what seemed like forever. When living with vampires, does time even matter? Despite my undeterred stare, I didn’t think I would manage to make Heidi back down, which eventually happened. Letting out a resigned sigh, Heidi looked at me with a defeated gaze. “Fine. But I’m not letting you walk out this room with your hair looking like a bird’s nest!” Before I could protest, Heidi dragged me back into the bathroom and forced me down on the puff that sat in front of the sink.

I took a look at myself in the mirror as Heidi set out to work her magic. The day after the wedding, I decided to get my hair cut, though not as short as Audrey Hepburn’s in Roman Holiday. After the events from the night before, I decided that cutting my hair was the only way to emotionally let the past, and certain people in it, go. Cliche, I know, but it was cathartic as hell. The hair that once fell down to the middle of my back was now short as Jackie Kennedy’s in the early 60s, lining the contours of my jaw perfectly. I didn’t realize that Heidi was done until she rested a hand on my shoulder. “Well, what do you think?”

When I looked up from my twiddling thumbs, my eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. Whenever I needed my hair done, I’d always go to Hannah. The most I could do was put it up in a messy bun or ponytail. But this...Heidi beat out Hannah in the hair styling department. I bit my lip as I stared at a younger copy of Jackie Kennedy. “Wow…” My voice was barely above a whisper, but I knew Heidi could hear me anyway.

Before I could stare any longer, Heidi once again dragged me by the arm and out of the bathroom. “Come along! Let’s not keep Master Aro waiting another moment!” I silently gulped at her enthusiastic remark. The way she sounded made it seem like I was being dragged to my death, like any other poor soul who was unfortunate enough to fall for that clock tower tour. 

As soon as we exited the room, I sensed two figures following behind us, one on either side of me. I glanced in each direction, only to find Felix on one side and Demetri on the other. “Took you long enough, Heidi. We thought you might’ve eaten her.” I heard Felix chuckle as I grit my teeth, avoiding the stares of the two male vampires.

“Haha.” Glancing over at Heidi, I could tell she was not impressed by his little joke. I had to smirk at this. Something told me she wasn’t that fond of Felix.

“Who wouldn’t. She smells absolutely divine.” I felt my face flush from a combination of embarrassment and annoyance at Demetri’s subtly suggestive nature. 

“You two are impossible.” Despite her annoying tendencies from earlier, my opinion of Heidi softened after seeing her reaction to these two fools. There was something about them that seemed familiar. Awfully familiar. But what was it, exactly?

“Oh come now Heidi, don’t tell me you’re not tempted by this lovely little neck of hers.” It was then that I felt myself stiffen in place, unable to move as I felt one of Demetri’s fingers graze the back of my neck lazily. Suddenly, I felt my instincts go haywire.

Before Heidi could react, I managed to swing my body around, bringing my knee up as far as I could. And aimed it between Demetri’s legs. And surprisingly, the knee to the groin defense does indeed work on vampires, despite their marble-like build. Demetri fell to the floor with a pained expression, clutching himself in the process. Damn! Despite my current state, I was shocked about what I just did, and that I was able to do it. Heidi looked back and forth between Demetri and I, with an expression that was a mixture of shock and amusement. Felix, on the other hand, was leaning against the wall, laughing his ass off.

I cautiously stepped towards Demetri, glaring slightly. On one hand, I didn’t appreciate being touched without permission (with Aro being the possible exception) due to my past. But yet, I somehow found the situation amusing, and I couldn’t help but suppress a smirk. It was just that these two were so much like...And that’s when it hit me. Despite the fact that they acted cool and aloof for the sake of public appearance, both Felix and Demetri reminded me of my peanut gallery back home. More specifically, Paul and Embry. I had to smile at myself. Even when I was far away from home, there was no escaping those two. And I suppose Heidi reminded me a little bit of Quil. But just a little.

Trying not to smirk, I looked down at Demetri and said, “Didn’t anyone tell you it’s rude to touch a girl without her permission?” Felix was still chuckling in the background as Demetri and I continued to stare at each other, with perplexity and amusement respectively. 

From what little information I have thus far on every person here, Demetri seems to have the characteristics of someone who is prideful and cares deeply about how others view him. There was no doubt that this would be considered an embarrassing moment for him.

However, his expression wasn't what I expected. While I thought he would look rather annoyed, Demetri seemed rather amused himself. Even though he seemed very good at hiding his emotions. I offered him a hand, which he studied for a moment before smirking slightly and using it to pull himself up despite the fact he could've gotten up himself.

"You're a spicy little thing, aren't you?" Although no one has ever used that adjective to describe me before, I mostly agreed with Demetri's sentiment. I may seem real sweet from the outside, but deep down? My personality is just that. 

I returned his smirk with one of my own, almost quite flirtatiously. Something tells me he's a real hit with the ladies. Heidi's scowl is proof of that. Hm, it makes me wonder if they are involved with each other. Interesting.

"Yes, well as funny as this was, we really shouldn't keep Master Aro waiting any longer." And with that, Heidi grabbed my arm and continued down the dimly lit hall. Although, there was a slight tightness in her grip that wasn't there before. Interesting. Very interesting. 

As we were rapidly approaching the throne room, I heard Felix whisper to Demetri, "I like her." And Demetri muttered something that closely sounded like shut up.

Jane and Alec were waiting for us outside the throne room. Alec wore a vacant expression, and Jane still looked tiny, but menacing. "There you are. Master Aro's been waiting for you." I held my breath, scared that she meant me. But Jane wasn't looking at me at all. Instead, that honor lay with Heidi, who regarded Jane cooly.

“Well Jane, I’d like to see you try to awaken a pregnant human without getting your head bitten off. The poor thing was exhausted!” As much as I admired Heidi for coming to my defense, I didn’t appreciate the both of them talking like I’m not even here. I decided to casually make myself known. 

“Well wait a minute now, Heidi. Maybe she has a point. I mean, if you wanted me to wake up so badly, you should’ve just tossed me in a dungeon in the first place. I mean, sleeping on a stone floor would’ve gotten me up much faster.” 

Jane’s eyes flickered over to me, red eyes meeting blue. And while I admit I was a bit intimidated by this tiny, yet imposing vampire, I was able to stand my ground. My gaze never faltered, despite the fact that a small part of me feared that Jane would use her power on me. 

After she realized that I wasn’t going to back down, Jane took a small step back, a slight look of disbelief and disappointment in her eyes. Clearly she wanted me to be frightened of her. And so far, I wasn’t giving her the satisfaction of seeing me cower in a corner. When I first met Jane, I was perhaps more frightened of her than anyone else here, including Aro. But now that I know what I’m dealing with, I decided it was best that I took this on without any fear. “You’re awfully brave, aren’t you? But then again, I wouldn’t call you brave for stepping in front of me to save your sister. In fact, I would almost call it stupid.”

Ok, now it was personal. Insulting me was one thing, but Bella? Game on. I slowly stepped towards Jane, with a menacing glare of my own. “I agree, it was pretty stupid.” Jane was not expecting that. I could tell, her own glare faltered. “But she’s my little sister. And I would do anything to help her.” My eyes flickered briefly to the boy with dark hair, also known as Alec. Something tells me these two were related. “You’re Jane’s brother, aren’t you?” Alec looked at me and nodded, saying nothing. My gaze returned to Jane. “You two seem rather close.” I kept a steady gaze on Jane, who opened her mouth to say something, but shut it when she realized I wasn’t about to back down. “You may call me stupid for helping my sister when she’s in danger. But wouldn’t you do the same if Alec were in trouble?” 

Now both of them were looking at me, looking quite shocked. As if I had broken through their tough exteriors, no pun intended. Even Heidi, Felix, and Demetri seemed surprised at how I disarmed Jane so easily. Once I said my peace, I offered both Jane and Alec a small, genuine smile before turning back to look at Heidi. “Well, shall we press forward then? We shouldn’t keep Aro waiting any longer.” Heidi looked absolutely shell-shocked. Here was a girl who was so desperate to stay far from the clutches of Aro, a girl she basically dragged her down to the pit of the underworld against her will. A girl who was about to walk willingly into the lion’s den, with her held up high and a smirk forming on her lips. If Aro wanted to play a game, then I would give him one. Even at the risk of losing myself completely to him.


	29. Finding my Feet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of domestic violence

I kept my head held high and gaze steady as we entered the throne room. Heidi walked in front of me, Alec and Jane flanked my sides, and Felix and Demetri brought up the rear. My eyes took in the marble surroundings, wandering up the rotunda. There were only two other times I was in here. The first time was when I came to stop Bella from getting herself killed in the process of saving Edward. I distinctly remember watching Felix and Edward spar, damaging the beautiful floor in the process. The second time was yesterday, when I was both physically and emotionally exhausted from the wedding. In both scenarios, my senses were either too heightened or too low to actually take in my surroundings. But now I was awake, ready to lead Aro on an elusive hunt.

As we made our way into the throne room, I let my eyes yes wander about the room, taking in the Latin phrases that wrapped around the room, with touches of green marble on the walls and the floor. Damn, was this whole room made out of marble? Geeze, how much more opulent can this man get? “It’s nice to see you awake, my dear.” Why was it that whenever I heard Aro’s voice, my heart stopped?

My blue orbs, which were still recovering from the shock of sudden blindness from earlier, recentered themselves. Either out of apprehension or euphoria, I kept my eyes closed briefly, savoring my last moment of inner peace before all my hidden emotions came to life. I bit my lip, trying to fight the urge to open my eyes. No. No more. I will not run from you anymore. Exhaling quietly, I finally let my eyes open.

And there he was, standing not too far from me, with that same dazed look he had as Bella, Edward, Alice and I left Volterra back in March. No one said a word as Aro and I stared at each other. I had hoped that after a good night’s sleep, the sexual tension that surrounded us like a heavy fog had dissipated. But I was wrong. As blue eyes met red, I could still feel the energy between us. And it was slowly becoming more chaotic as we both held ourselves back from colliding into each other. I thought yesterday was intense, the sexual tension was so obvious. But nothing could prepare for the painstakingly, subtle sexual tension that lingered. Most people would say it would be hard to control one’s self if the signs were blatantly obvious. But I disagree. Subtly only adds to the frustration, mindlessly teasing you as you’re left yearning for more. And that’s exactly what was happening right now.

Despite that annoying, invisible magnet that was compelling me to move towards Aro, something inside me managed to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground. Which I found very strange, as past experiences I actually complied with this strange force. But now that I resolved myself to take Aro head on (oh god, that did not sound right!), I found myself determined to beat him at his own game. I was slowly losing myself to my emotions. Not that I was complaining.

As Aro slowly made his way towards me, almost as if he were in a trance, I looked at him quite coquettishly, gazing from underneath my eyelashes. I could’ve sworn that I saw his eyes turn a darker shade of red as he pressed his fingertips to his mouth. Both of my hands, which were balled up into fists, subconsciously tightened briefly as a result.

Once again, I found myself face to face with Aro, my head inclined so that I could look up at him. God, I didn’t realize how short I was until I met him. But then, Bella and I were practically the same height. We were standing so close (well, as close as my bump allowed) that I would’ve swore we were touching.   
We both stood there, like Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, staring into the depths of each other’s eyes. I don’t know whose gaze was more intense, Aro’s or mine. I know I couldn’t hide my emotions in my stare very much, but Aro was very hard to read, like always. I was too busy being captivated by his intense stare to notice that Aro had lowered his hands down to where mine were, fingertips almost grazing my own. At last, he finally spoke, “You’ve slept a long time, my dear. I was beginning to worry about you.” He spoke so soft and tenderly that I’m pretty sure I was the only one who could hear him. 

I felt my face heat up in embarrassment. Knowing that Aro could sense the blood rushing to my face I looked down awkwardly. “Yeah, well...I was tired.” I felt my body stiffen as he brought a hand up to my face and gently brushed the tips of his fingers across my cheek before cusping my chin. I bit my lip slightly as he slowly lifted my face up, and once again, blue eyes met red. 

I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. Aro’s eyes had already hooked me in, and I could only stare as his gaze descended down my body. I couldn’t tell if he was amused or disappointed at defying him, wardrobe wise. Eventually, Aro’s eyes made their way back up to mine. “I believe, my dear, that you’re still tired. You have yet to change your clothes.” The corners of his mouth quickly tweaked upwards as his gaze swept my body. Something told me there was something hidden in that message, so I decided to play around.

“Yes, well, black really isn’t my color. I’d rather go naked than walk around in such depressing colors.” Wait, was I flirting?! It took all my nerve to keep my eyes on Aro as I watched his pupils dilate as his crimson irises briefly darkened, sending a shiver down my spine. Cupping both sides of my face, Aro leaned down as if he was going to kiss me. And for a minute, I thought he was. 

But instead, he tilted his head to whisper in my ear. “I’d be careful if I were you, my dear.” For a moment, I almost lost my nerve. His seductive tone made me weak in the knees. If Aro wasn’t holding my face, I’m sure I would’ve fell over. Aro’s hands returned to his side as he returned to his upright posture, smirking. I could only stare like a deer caught in headlights.

Suddenly, I felt very self conscious. Realizing that we weren’t the only two in the room anymore. Demetri and Felix were idly standing by on the sidelines as Jane and Alec circled around us to stand by the dais. And I'm pretty sure Heidi was not too far behind me. I fell from my cloud 9 as my eyes wandered to the dais, where the two other kings sat. Caius, with his usual glare, stared at me like I was some sort of insect that needed to be studied. And...Marcus I think his name was (talk about awkward), looked on with vague interest. Now I kind of wished I did change clothes.

No! Stop it! That would Give Aro an edge over myself. And I was not about to give him the satisfaction. Speaking of Aro, he was still eyeing me quite peculiarly. His eyes wandered up and down my form, his fingertips pressed to his mouth. I felt myself quiver slightly as Aro’s eyes suddenly met mine, and I temporarily lost my nerve. Aro took another step closer to me, which I thought was impossible given my bump. I felt goosebumps pop up across my skin (whether from the cold or from pleasure, i’ll never know) as his fingertips slowly moved up the side of my neck, briefly resting where my jugular vein was. I clenched my eyes shut as his thumb slightly caressed the area where my pulse could be felt.  
The irrational part of me thought Aro was going to do something to me, right then and there, but he never did. I heard him sigh as his fingers touched the tips of my hair, careful to not mess up Heidi’s work. “Why must you think so little of me, my dear? Do you honestly think I would hurt you?” He said the last part so quietly I’m sure the others didn’t hear it. But given their superior senses, I wasn’t so sure. 

Then I heard someone scoff behind Aro. Craning my neck slightly, which caused Aro to remove his hand, I noticed Caius staring at us with his usual glare. His eyes squinted even more so. “Ungrateful.” That got my attention. 

“Excuse me?!” I pushed past Aro and returned Caius’ glare. “What did you say to me?!” Caius scoffed again.

“How typical of humans to let words fall on deaf ears. Once again, I said you were ungrateful.”

“Caius-” Aro’s warning tone got cut off by the former’s hand.

“No, Aro. She needs to learn her place.”

“WHAT?! Now see here-” Before I could finish my sentence, Aro stepped in front of me. I tried to crane my head over his shoulder, but I felt his hands place themselves on my shoulders.

“Why don’t you let Heidi show you around, dearest? I’ll come see you later.”

“But-” Suddenly I felt Aro’s hands squeeze my shoulders firmly. A little too firmly. Out of nowhere a flashback vividly popped up in my mind.

*Flashback*

“What did you do?!” It was late at night, and I was trying to get dinner ready. And I was tired. So things weren’t going so great. My hair was falling out of it’s bun and I was pulling a dad by burning the food. And unfortunately, Marcus just got home from work. “Did you fucking burn my dinner again, Maggie?!” After scrambling to get everything off the burners, I faced the wall and leaned against the counter tops, trying to catch my breath. 

But I didn’t have time to catch my breath, as I felt Marcus grab my shoulders and forcefully turned myself so I was facing him. “Get your hands off me, Marcus!” I don’t know how I did it, but I forcefully removed his hands from my shoulders. “Look, I’m sorry, but I’m tired. I had a long day at work and we were short staffed-” I tried to walk into the living room but he grabbed me again, slightly slamming me into the wall in the process.

Normally, I wouldn’t be so afraid of him, but Marcus suddenly went quiet. And I would rather deal with a screaming Marcus than a quiet one. I trembled slightly as Marcus just shook his head before looking at me, with an evil looking grin on his face. “You…” He scoffed, shaking his head briefly before returning to look at me. “You think you had a bad day? Huh? Huh?!” Without warning, he began to shake me. Hard. I winced as I felt the back of my head hit the wall over and over. 

“Marcus, stop!” But he kept on shaking me as tears started to form. “Please…” I could slowly feel myself lose consciousness.

*End Flashback*

I let out a loud gasp as I came back to reality. Suddenly, Aro’s hands felt like white hot to the touch, and I shook myself away from him. Red eyes met blue as he stared at me with a wary look, regret evident in his eyes. “Go with Heidi, Margaret.” Aro’s voice sounded far away as I felt Heidi touch my shoulder gently. As she slowly turned me from the room, I took one last look at Aro, who once again placed his fingertips against his lips, eyes closed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Are you alright, my lady?” Felix, Demetri, and the twins followed us as we walked back down the hall. We didn’t go through the reception area, the way Carlisle and I took the day before. Or was it two days ago? Nevermind. Shaking my head, I turned to look at Heidi.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just nerves I guess. But please, don’t call me that. It sounds so...stiff.” I made a face.

“Would you prefer, ‘my queen?’” 

“What? No!” We stopped walking, and I had to take a deep breath to regain myself. “Just...Call me Maggie, ok?” Sighing deeply, I rubbed my temples before composing myself. “Anyway, where to?”

As we wandered through the never ending halls, Heidi would point out what she felt necessary to point out. Including all three offices of the three kings and Aro’s bedroom. “But why would he-” I suddenly went silent, answering my own question. I felt my face burn up, but for a different reason. I quickly decided to change the conversation. “So, what do you guys like to do for fun?”

“If you can’t tell, I love to shop.”

“And the guys and I like to play video games in our spare time.” I turned and looked at Felix quite incredulously. 

“Seriously? You play video games? What kind?” Felix smirked at me as we stopped in front of another door.

“You seem surprised. What did you think we do all day? Sleep in coffins?” Now my face was really burning up. Boy, was I embarrassed. 

“No, I just thought...You never answered my question!” Felix’s smirk only got bigger at my defensive tone, like he already knew my secret fantasies. 

“Personally, I like games like Mario Kart, Sonic, and The Sims. Demetri likes things like Call of Duty, Final Fantasy, and GTA. And little Alec here,” Felix made a grand gesture to the slightly scowling boy, who, I presumed, didn’t seem to care for that nickname. “Well he’s just your typical teenager. He plays things like Madden and FIFA, among other things.”

“Shut up.” I had to smile at the scene in front of me. They reminded me of the guys back home. My smile fell a bit at this thought. God, how I missed those idiots. I wonder how Jake was doing. I made a mental note to call Bella later. 

“Hey, you alright pipsqueak?” I looked up at Felix, slightly glaring in jest. 

“I’m fine. So where are we now?” Before Felix could answer me, Heidi gently pushed me aside as she opened the door in front of us. My eyes widened as we slowly made our way into the room.

“This is where the guard relaxes in our free time, when we’re not training or on a mission.” There were many plushy couches and bean bags, a giant flatscreen tv, and rows and rows of dvds and video games. Multiple gaming consoles, both small and large, lined the room.

My mouth dropped slightly as I wandered the room slowly. I stopped when I saw what looked like an Atari. Turning back to look at my newfound gang, I exclaimed, “Do you seriously have every single gaming console known to man?!” The amount of consoles I saw was ridiculous. They even had a Pac-Man machine!

Heidi only laughed. “The boys like their video games. Especially this one here.” Felix put his hands up in mock defense. 

“Hey, I need an outlet to let out my stress after finishing a mission. Sparring with Demetri only adds to the frustration.”

“Shut up, you imbecile.” I let out a laugh as the two began to bicker, with Alec watching in amusement. My laughter slowly died down when I noticed Jane standing off to the side, rather formerly I might add. 

“What do you like to do for fun, Jane?” The room got quiet as everyone turned to look at Jane, who looked taken aback at my question. It was if nobody asked her that question before.

She eyed me over, and I couldn’t tell if she trusted me enough to answer my question. And I thought she wouldn’t answer. But I was wrong. “I like to read and paint. I normally spend my time either in the library or the drawing room. It was there that my feelings for Jane softened. Behind that creepy exterior, she seemed like a rather introverted person. Quiet, and calm when she wanted to be.

“Sounds like I found our next two stops. Let’s go!” Feeling a bit excited, I was the first one out the door.

Heidi led us down another unfamiliar hallway, which was lit with torches, just like the other hallways. I felt like we were going in circles, and a little dizzy. Noticing that Jane was in the back of the group, walking by herself, I decided to fall back a bit. No one really noticed as Felix and Demetri were still arguing, Alec looked too bored to notice, and Heidi was too busy going on and on. 

Jane didn’t say anything as her eyes flickered over to me. Despite being quite imposing, something told me there was more to Jane than there meets the eye. “So tell me Jane, what kind of books do you like to read?” Something tells me that Jane never experienced true kindness, aside from her brother, before as once again she looked a bit surprised at my question.

“Mysteries mostly, but I won’t say no to a good love story now and then.” Well that was shocking. About the love stories, mysteries seemed kind of obvious.

“Ah.” We both fell silent, as I really didn’t know how to answer that.

“What do you like to read?” Now it was my turn to look surprised. I turned my head to look at Jane, who looked genuinely interested in my response. 

“I read a lot of non-fiction stuff, as history was my favorite subject. But I read a lot of young adult stuff as well. Once in a while I’ll pick up a horror novel, but I’m not really into horror that much anymore.” As soon as I said that, everyone stopped walking, and I immediately ran into Felix.

“Dude, seriously?”

“Never took you for one to like horror, pipsqueak. What was it, mummies?” I glared at Felix.

“No-”

“Zombies? Killer clowns?” I pivoted on my heels to gawk at Demetri.

“What? No!”

“Then what was it?” 

I felt myself go red. “I’m not telling.”

“Ooh, sounds scandalous! Now you have to tell us!” Heidi was really getting on my nerves today. More than Aro was to be honest.

“No.”

“Ugh, why not?”  
“Because…” I really couldn’t think of some excuse as my cheeks started to burn. “Ok, it was-” I purposely made some unintelligible noises so they wouldn't pick up my dark secret. 

“You’re going to have to speak up, pipsqueak.” I muttered once more, keeping my eyes stubbornly on my feet. Heidi put a gentle but cold hand on my arm, causing me to shiver slightly.

“Honey, you don’t have to be embarrassed. You can tell us. We won’t laugh.” Heidi turned to glare at Felix and Demetri, who were already trying to hide it. “ Wel, most of us won’t.”

Taking a deep breath, I decided to take a leap of faith. “Alright, fine. It was...vampires.” The hallway stood quiet for only a few moments before all hell broke loose. I scowled as we began to walk again, trying my best to ignore Felix, Demetri, Heidi, and Alec. “Shut up!” But that only sparked more unwelcoming chatter and laughter. My eyes flickered over to Jane. Thankfully, she wasn’t laughing. But a small smile was starting to form on her face, as if she approved of my choice of monster.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After finishing the tour, Felix and Demetri bid us farewell as they went off to train. Eventually, Jane and Alec left as well as Heidi walked me back to my room. “I hope you enjoyed the tour. Master Aro really wants you to be happy here.” I let out a sigh, questioning her statement. I’d like to believe that, but I feel like he was trying too hard. Literally. “What’s the matter, honey? Don’t you want to be here?” That question had so many answers.

We were stopped by a window, and I gazed out at the city below, quite longingly. “It’s just...I wish I didn't have to be stuck inside! It looks so nice out…" I sighed wistfully, watching the people below. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Heidi’s expression soften. Great. I don’t want, or need, any more pity.

“You really think Master Aro would keep locked up inside all day?” I quickly turned my head to look back out the window, not wanting Heidi to see my eyes stinging with embarrassment. “You know, I think as long as one of the guard is with you, I’m sure Master Aro would let you explore the city. And besides, we do have a garden you can walk around or sit and read.”

My head spun around so fast, I’m surprised it didn’t fall off. “Really?” Heidi nodded a small smile forming on her face.

“Yep. Did you want to see it? It’s really beautiful.” She let out a small laugh. “In fact, I think I spend more time out there on a good day than I do inside.” 

“Define ‘good day’ for you. Bella told me what happens when you step out in the sun.” Heidi only snorted as we started walking again.

“Honey, what a good day is to me is completely opposite from your good day. I’d take a good thunderstorm over sunshine anyday.”

“Ugh, why?” We stopped walking and Heidi turned to look at me, her facial expression quite serious.  
“You’ve never made love in the middle of a storm, have ya, honey?” I think this the reddest my face has been all day.

“What? No!” Heidi only shrugged as we resumed walking.

“You should try it sometime. You’re really missing out.” That wink she gave me only implied one thing. For once in my life, I stubbornly refused to let my mind wander where it usually likes to wander.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heidi brought me back to my room after showing me the gardens, which were extremely beautiful. And extremely huge. Like, I honestly don’t see how all this can be one single entity. But then again, my eyesight is extremely poor compared to everyone else in this place. 

After Heidi departed, I kicked off my shoes and flopped down on the bed, which made me groan out loud. This was the comfiest damn bed ever. I almost wished I never had to leave. Then my thoughts were abruptly interrupted by my cell phone, as “Heaven is a Place on Earth” blared out loud. Scrambling, I got on my knees and crawled over to where I tossed my phone. I didn’t have to think twice about answering, after glancing at who was calling. “Hannah-”

“DON’T HANNAH ME! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” Grimacing, I held the phone as far away from my ear as possible. Hannah went on and on as I rolled my eyes every few moments.

“Hannah, calm down-”

“DON’T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! NOT UNTIL YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!” It was at that moment I saw Aro enter the room, and I immediately froze, like a deer caught in headlights. As Hannah continued to shout, I couldn’t keep my eyes off him, only grimacing in response.

“Hannah, shush! I promise you, I’m all right. Just please stop shouting!” The other line went silent and I was afraid she might have hung up on me. Aro cocked his head slightly as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying not to get angry at my best friend.”

“Then why haven’t you come back?” Going from a raging rant, Hannah now sounded deathly quiet, tone quite somber. A little too somber for my taste. I sank to my knees slowly, a wide range of emotions being stirred inside of me. 

“Han, I wanted to, but Dr. Cullen didn’t think it was safe for me to fly.”

“Wait, that was Dr. Cullen? The Dr. Cullen?! He’s even hotter up close.” Oh my god. I lowered the phone for a moment, smacking my hand against the forehead. 

“Hannah, could you just focus for a minute? Please?!” I sighed, scooching over to sit on the side of the bed, where Aro joined me. Thankfully not too close.

“Sorry. So when are you coming back? Everyone here is worried sick.” Damn it, I had to think of something fast! I don’t know if I was sweating because I was starting to panic or because Aro seemed to get closer and closer.

“Well...Dr. Cullen thinks the baby might be coming soon so I might have to wait it out.” The line went quiet again, and I was seriously afraid of what was going to happen next.

“WHAT?! That’s it, I’m gonna fly back over there!” Hannah shouted again, more loudly this time, and I nearly dropped the phone. If it weren’t for the intimidating yet intoxicating vampire sitting next to me, I might’ve been out of a phone. I immediately took my phone from his hands, not flinching once at the cold yet electrifying touch. 

“Hannah, shush! And please, don’t come back.”

“But I don’t want you to be alone when it happens.” Aw. My eyes started to sting again, but I blinked quickly to avoid embarrassment.

“I won’t be alone, I promise. Dr. Cullen is taking good care of me.” Ok, that wasn’t a total lie. I was being taken care of, but it wasn’t Carlisle! I flinched slightly as Aro squeezed my hand gently.

“Do you promise?” Despite myself, I had to smile a little.

“Pinky promise.” Whenever we were apart, we both put our pinkies in the air and bent them, as if we were still together.

“Call me soon, kay?”

“Kay.” After we said our goodbyes, I tossed my phone behind me with a scowl, knowing it was going to land on the soft mattress. I buried my hands in my face as I hunched as far down as I could.

“You’re a good liar, my dear. I wasn’t expecting your friend to fall for that.”

“She can be extremely irritating,” I muttered from my hands. 

“She does seem to interrupt at the most inconvenient times, yes.” I slowly sat up, face slightly flushed. I knew exactly what he was implying: the wedding. Suddenly, all the nerve I had in the beginning of the day was gone, and extreme shyness returned as I kept one arm around my bump. And the baby just kicked again, right on schedule. But then again, look who I was sitting next to.

“How are you feeling today, my dear?” Lie, lie, lie!

“I’m fine.” Unfortunately, I was caught when I grimaced due to what was happening in utero.

“Don’t lie to me, Margaret. I can see that it’s ‘not fine’” I couldn’t find the words to sass back, as I was too busy trying to calm the baby down. Damn him.

“What do you want, Aro?” I didn’t mean for that to come out so rudely. Ok, maybe I did. But just a little. Fortunately for me, it didn’t phase Aro as he either chose to ignore my flippant remark or he really didn’t catch it.

“I wanted to apologize for earlier, mia tesoro. I didn’t mean to cause you any stress.” Oh, he was talking about that. Now I felt really awkward.

“It’s fine. It happens from time to time, you don’t have to worry about it.” Aro stood up so fast that I nearly fell backwards. 

“No, it’s not fine, Margaret. No man should ever put his hands on a woman like that! I swore I would protect you, and all I did was lower myself to the same level of the monster that hurt you. I…” Wait, was he about to cry? Can vampires actually cry? 

I never found out since he spun on heels so fast. With his back facing me, Aro bowed his head, like he was in deep thought. I thought about standing up and comforting him, but he turned around again, with a smile so fake even I could see through it. "No matter. What's important is that you're safe. Tell me, my dear, how do you like Volterra?" 

I knew he really wasn't talking about the city itself, as I barely saw it. "It's fine, I suppose. I actually liked hanging around with Heidi and everyone else. Though I do wish I had my suitcase. I could use a change of clothes."

"Are you sure you won’t change your mind about the clothes, my dear? I just want you to be happy here.” This again? Oy! 

“Look...It’s not that I don’t appreciate it, because I do, but…” I sighed and shook my head, already knowing this was a lost cause. “You’re kinda being ostentatious with all this. I mean…” I threw my hands up halfway in mock annoyance. “What kind of woman do you take me for?”

Aro chuckled lightly as he gently grasped my chin with his thumb and the crook of his index finger. Then why don’t you tell me what kind of woman you are, my dear Margaret.” Oh god. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of his delicious voice.

In order to regain my composure, I averted my eyes. “Surely you can read my thoughts to figure that out for yourself.” That time, I did intend for that to come out sassy. And the bastard only chuckled, despite my chagrin. However, he sounded a lot more sinister. Somehow, he managed to pull me closer to him with only his grip on my chin. We were so close our foreheads were actually touching.

“Believe me my dear, I do. And they reveal much more than you know.” Wait, what was he talking about? I hope he didn’t see what Heidi told me earli...Oh fuck. The way his pupils dilated and his deepening smirk said otherwise. I whimpered slightly as his other arm snaked around my waist, or lack thereof, and pulled me closer. Soon, our noses were touching. My stomach fluttered with desire as Aro adjusted his head slightly so it was cocked to the side. 

If it weren’t for a knock at the door, our lips would have touched. I could’ve sworn I heard Aro mutter damn it under his breath, and I couldn’t help but smirk myself. Despite being frustrated myself, the more frustrated he got, the more hilarious it was. Ah well, more ammo for me! Aro rushed to the other side of the room, to see who incurred his annoyance. While he was busy talking to whoever it was, I took a deep breath to calm myself while smoothing the wrinkles out of my pinafore dress. “It seems like you’re in luck, my dear. Heidi was kind enough to bring you your luggage.” 

Forgetting the sense of time and space, I let out an excited gasp and grabbed the handle from Aro, who still looked a little miffed. Haha, cockblocked! Dropping down to my knees, which I knew was a mistake, I riffled through my suitcase, and pulled out a yellow polka-dotted dress, hugging it close to my body. I struggled to get up to my feet, and when I did, I noticed that Aro was looking at me, with a faraway look in his eye. “I’ll leave you to get changed then, Margaret.”

I gulped, feeling a bit uncomfortable with his use of my full given name. He was using the same tone he used back in the throne room. I asked myself what I did wrong as Aro quickly left my room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aro POV

I don’t understand how she could still look at me after what I did. I swore to myself I would do everything in my power as the leader of the vampire world to protect my mate. And I failed her, in more ways than one.

Not only have I failed to make her feel safe, I failed to make her happy. Despite Margaret reassuring me she was grateful for what I have given her, I could tell she did not like the clothes I had Heidi pick out for her. Maybe I should have listened to Carlisle’s advice and not push her so hard. On the bright side, Margaret had no negative objections to her living space, which cheered me up, somewhat.

But her stubborn refusal towards my gifts wasn’t driving me mad. No, it was her flippant but coquettish attitude that was driving me crazy. Even more so than her blood. The way she stood her ground against Caius was both troubling and amusing. After she left, it took Marcus and I a good while to calm him down, with little success, as he stormed out to what I presumed to be the tower, where Athenodora was. Frankly, I was quite turned on by her little outburst.

Speaking of being turned on, that little remark she boldly made about how she’d rather walk around without any clothes on almost consumed me, and I almost made a scene myself. It took every ounce of my being from taking her right then and there, it gave me the human equivalent of a headache, it drained me that much. Reading her thoughts, I had to smirk. So young Margaret thinks she can outplay me in this little game of ours. My dear, you haven’t seen the last of me.

I put her room in my wing of the castle, which was a blessing and a curse. A blessing because she was always nearby, and I could easily keep tabs on her. But it was a curse as well, considering her blood was driving me crazy. I often found myself walking past her room more than I should have been, and there were moments where I had to stop myself from doing the unthinkable. 

As the days went by, I could see she was growing closer to the guard, but not with me. Which is why I tried to avoid her for the most part, in order to stop upsetting her. Every time we would lock eyes I could feel her shame, and she would look away. It wounded me terribly.

During the night, when she was asleep, it was a different story. I found myself sneaking in her room at night, either sitting on the edge of the bed or in a chair nearby, watching her sleep quite contently. I tried to convince myself this would only scare her away, but I couldn’t help it. The beating of her heart, and the little one inside her were driving me crazy. Despite her blood being the catalyst of my desires, young Margaret’s heartbeat surprisingly kept myself calm, which was a paradox.

Despite my inner battle, I found myself in her room again tonight, watching her snuggle into the mattress. However, tonight I was rather tempted, and I decided to see how far I could go without waking her. The first time I almost got caught I hid myself under her bed (the irony never escaped me) as she woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. The exhilaration never escaped me either. The thought of getting caught, which would have unimaginable consequences, triggered the irrational side of me. And I found myself kneeling on the floor in front of her, observing her with great fascination.

I was fighting with an idea that I had in mind. I was already toeing the line, and what I wanted to do was pushing things farther than I could imagine. The irrational side of me won, and I slowly stood up off the floor, gazing at my mate quite longingly. Without taking my eyes off of her, I slowly walked around to the other side of the bed, before stopping. Was I really going to risk it all? To see how it felt to lie next to her? Damn it!

I carefully placed myself on the bed before laying on my side, facing her. Knowing that she could sense the coldness that radiated from my body, I stayed far enough away that I was still near enough for my liking. I carefully raised an arm and boldly caressed her now short, mahogany locks. However, I retracted my hand so fast when she decided to turn on her side, facing me. I never felt true fear, as being the leader of the vampire world prohibited me from feeling that, but I came close at this moment. If Margaret opened her eyes...If I lost her forever…

Fortunately, she quickly turned around again, and I would have let out a sigh of relief if I were human. Unfortunately, I was feeling bolder than ever, and I felt myself moving closer to her, wrapping an arm around her waist over the blanket. I couldn’t tell who was losing their self-control faster: me, or her.


	30. Fight and Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Character death/graphic content.

The next few days, I didn’t see much of Aro, which was slightly upsetting. But when we did see each other, it was only in passing when I was walking somewhere with one of the guard, Heidi being my frequent companion. And whenever we saw each, he’d be walking one way, and I the other. Whenever our eyes caught, he’d always smirk like he knew something I didn’t. Some kind of dirty secret.

But that’s not what wigged me out. We’d both be on the opposite sides of the hallway, and when he’d see me walking with Heidi, he’d subtly move closer to the middle of the hallway, and when we did pass by, our hands would graze against each other. Heidi would only laugh as I would blush, but didn’t make any smart remarks.

Most of the time, I spent my time in the lounge with the guard. As the days slowly went by, I met the rest of the guard. There was Chelsea, whose gift was to manipulate relationships between people, which made me suspicious of my relationship to Aro. But Heidi reassured that our mating bond was too strong to manipulate me into submission, or so she heard it from Marcus. Then there was Chelsea’s mate, Afton. “Technically, he really doesn’t have anything to contribute. He’s only here because Chelsea convinced Master Aro,” Felix informed me.

Next was Corin, who spent her time with Caius’ wife, whom I’ve yet to meet.She has the power of keeping people content and happy. I’ve learned that Marcus had a wife, who happened to be Aro’s sister. Her name was Didyme, and supposedly she died under mysterious circumstances that no one knows about. Corin doesn’t really come out much, as she spends most of her time with Caius’ wife, who supposedly never recovered from Didyme’s death.

I met Renata when Heidi and I were walking down a hallway once, and Aro was walking by. And I’m not sure if I liked her or not. Not only was she extremely beautiful, but she was following him awfully close. Whenever I saw them walking together, I refused to look at Aro. I even went out of my way to sidestep in front of Heidi to avoid touching his hand. I could tell he wanted to say something each time I did that, but I kept on walking. 

Heidi only laughed as we walked through the gardens on a warm, yet cloudy day. We went shopping for clothes the day before, and thankfully, I could get anything I wanted that wasn’t depressingly black.“Oh honey, there’s nothing to worry about. Renata’s Master Aro’s personal bodyguard.”

“Personal?” That sounded suspicious. I looked at the multiple plants and flowers, which were originally planted by Didyme and maintained by the Volturi’s human secretary, with particular interest. I found that if I distracted myself during a conversation that I found particularly agitating, I didn’t get upset as easily.

“Honey, don’t take it the wrong way. She’s only his bodyguard because of her gift. She can divert any physical attack that comes close by putting a thought in that vampire’s head to diverge their attention.” Huh, that does sound a little impressive.

“But is it really necessary for her to be that close to him?!” 

“If Master Aro is the only one around, then yes. Otherwise her gift can go several meters out to protect Master Marcus and Master Caius when needed.” I humphed in response, not liking it at all.

The other member of the guard I became aware of was Santiago, a rather tall vampire with bronze skin and dark dreads. Like Afton, he wasn’t gifted. But he possessed supernatural strength like Felix and Emmett. He didn’t talk much, which made him even more imposing. There were other members of the guard, lower members, that I didn’t really see much or know much.

When I wasn’t in the mood to hang out with anyone, which was impossible because either Heidi or any other of the main guard followed me wherever I went, I spent my time in the library. Usually I was alone, curled up in a chair next to the fire. But other times I wasn’t alone. Sometimes I’d find Marcus reading in the chair opposite from mine. We didn’t talk, but his presence was strangely comforting. Much more comforting than Caius’ presence whenever we passed each other in a hallway. One time I fell asleep while reading, I woke up with a blanket over me. I’m pretty sure it was Marcus.

But most of my days were spent in the lounge, either watching movies with the guard or playing video games with Felix. I don’t know how many times I laughed my ass off watching him fall off of rainbow road on the N-64. Many arguments and shout matches started from these battles, with the rest of the guard either staying neutral or picking sides. 

However, today I decided to sit back and relax and watch Felix and Demetri play Call of Duty while checking my email. I decided to keep my phone off me as the guys were driving me crazy. I know my phone was probably blowing up back in my room, as I only texted them once since being marooned here. Most of the emails were junk, and I almost deleted the one from Hannah. “FOUND THIS-THINKING OF YOU.” 

I clicked the email, only to find nothing but an attachment. Clicking on it, a separate window popped up on the screen, with the buffering icon spinning and spinning. I almost shut the laptop when a familiar voice came through the speakers. “Maggie, over here!” My heart stopped. It was Andy’s voice. It was back from high school. Suddenly, I was transported back to the cafeteria of Forks High School. It was lunch time, and there at the lunch table were all my friends, with Andy presumably holding the camcorder. 

Despite graduating almost 5 years ago, I was surprised at how young I looked. My hair wasn’t quite as long, and-good god! Were those braces? How long ago was this? My younger self looked up, like a deer caught in headlights, before smiling shyly. This must be from freshman year. I watched in awe as my younger self joked around with herself, and I felt homesick. Not just for Forks but for simpler times. Suddenly, I felt very crowded. “Whatcha got there, pipsqueak?” 

“Hey!” Felix took the laptop out of my lap as I tried to reach for it back, only for it to be in vain. “Felix, give that back!” This drew the attention of Demetri, Jane, Alec, and Heidi, who were doing their own thing in the lounge.

“No way, shorty. You’ve given us a gold mine. And we’ve completely outwatched our movie collection.”

“What’s this?” Demetri was the first one to cluster around Felix and I. Despite my previous struggles, I continued to reach for my laptop. There was no way I was going to let them watch any of this. It was too embarrassing!

Felix only smirked at my efforts as he stood up and walked towards the tv. Oh god, he was going to hook it up. “A collection of Maggie’s most embarrassing moments.”

“Ooh, this I have to see.” 

I turned to stare at Heidi, quite shocked. “Heidi!” Seriously, I felt betrayed. Heidi became one of my closest confidantes.

“Hey, why are you so surprised? You know I’m nosey!” This was true. Everytime I picked up my phone to answer a text, Heidi would always ask me who I was texting. And it got annoying real fast. I only sighed as I took my place on a bean bag as Jane and Heidi sat above me on the couch. I grimaced as everyone muttered with excitement as Felix finished hooking up the laptop to the tv and made his way back towards the rest of us.

Then, the image changed. I was suddenly transported to my junior prom, or rather, getting ready for my junior prom at my house. I was in the bathroom, fighting for the mirror with Joss, Alana, and Monique while Hannah held the camcorder. “Move over!”

“No, you move!” I groaned, burying my head in my hands as I heard my younger self squabble with my younger friends. Much to my embarrassment, I could sense that everyone in the room was enjoying themselves at my expense. Particularly Heidi, Demetri, and Felix. 

The film cut to another scene, this time my dad was holding the camcorder and my friends and I slowly descended the staircase in our dresses. “Why weren’t you a pretty little thing.” I blushed slightly at Demetri’s sentiment. He certainly was a smooth talker!

“Demetri’s right, Maggie. You certainly looked ravishing.” I blushed slightly as I watched my younger self twirl for the camera, where my hair was held halfway up by a circular, crown-like braid with the lower half curled off to the side. Suddenly, the living room door opened and all of our dates came in. My heart became heavy when I saw a younger Andy come into the frame. No, stop it! Leaning forward, I brought my knees as close to me as I could and rested my chin on my knees, watching as Andy slipped my corsage on my wrist.

The scene jumped to the actual prom, the theme being an enchanted forest for that year. The place where our prom was held that year was covered, and I mean absolutely covered, in plants of various sizes and fairy lights. It was unbelievable. I had to smile at the scene, either dancing wildly with my friends or stuffing myself at the table. “Maggie, don’t you think you had enough?” I had to snort. Of course it was Hannah or asked me that.

“Never!” My younger self grabbed a cookie before running off.

“Somebody stop her!” My younger self only laughed before the scene changed to my senior prom. The theme was Moulin Rouge, and there I was, in my infamous red dress. The same dress with rhinestones on the top and a slit up one side. The same dress I was wearing when I was crowned Prom Queen and making Georgiana jealous at the same time. The same dress dad almost never let me wear.

I didn’t think the room could’ve gotten any louder, but I was wrong. “Damn, Maggie! You looked pretty hot.” I grimaced at Heidi’s remark, as I continued to glare at the screen, which switched to me being crowned. 

“She’s right, pipsqueak. Too bad Aro has dibs on you, otherwise I might’ve taken a shot at ya!” I grabbed a nearby pillow and threw it at Felix.

“Don’t be gross!” Demetri laughed as Felix bounced the pillow off of his arm. 

“I think that color looks great on you. You should wear it more often.” I turned my head and gave Jane a little smile, who offered one in return. We all watched as the scene changed to a slow dance. I don’t know who was filming, but they zoomed in on me and Andy dancing. Suddenly, it was like these past few days didn’t matter anymore. All I could focus on was the past, which I swore didn’t matter anymore. 

I sat absolutely still, trying not to let my emotions get the best of me. “Honey, are you alright?” Great, now everyone was looking at me. 

I nodded slightly while blinking rapidly. “Yeah.” Luckily, the scene didn’t last long, and soon I was watching my younger self at a cheer practice, goofing off with my friends. 

“Maggie, over here.” My younger self turned to look at the camera, winking and waving her pom poms before running across the field and jumping on a friend’s back. I had to snort.

“You never told us you were a cheerleader.” I turned and gave Felix a side eye.

“Didn’t think it mattered. What’s it to ya?” Felix only shrugged.

“I guess I never really took you for the type, that’s all.” Hold on a minute! Turning my attention away from the screen, I pivoted my body as best I could to stare at the tall vampire sitting next to Heidi. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” My tone was borderline flirtatious, however, it was only for fun. These past few days, as I grew closer to the guard, I bonded with Felix first. He reminded me too much of Emmett and the guys down at the Rez for me not to bond with him. I liked him, and I could tell he liked me as well. We both flirted with each other innocently, and I could tell it drove Aro nuts. Whenever he saw Felix and I walking down a hallway, laughing about something, his eye would twitch slightly. I knew I was playing with fire, but it was hilarious.

“Aren’t cheerleaders supposed to be...I don’t know...snobby bitches?” I raised a brow, smirking slightly.

“I think you watch too many movies about American teenagers.” 

“And I think you watch too many movies about vampires.” Touche my friend, touche. I returned my eyes to the screen, I found myself a little shocked at the scene. There, at a lunch table outside, sat my friends and my younger self. And my hair was short, really short. And it was a perm. Oh god. Heidi squealed.

“What did you do with your lovely hair?!” She sounded quite affronted, and it was hilarious. I had to look closer before things started to come back. Oh yeah, I remember I played Rizzo in our school production of Grease. 

“Pfft, give me a break Heidi. I only did it because I didn’t want to wear a wig in the musical I was in.” 

“I didn’t know you could sing.” At that point, my younger self began to sing “Look at Me I’m Sandra Dee,” and I buried my head in my hands. Singing was the one thing I didn’t want anyone to know about.

“You sound pretty good, pipsqueak. You should sing for us sometime.”

“No.”

“Aw, why not?” I didn’t answer Heidi as I stubbornly kept my gaze on the tv. Things were going alright until it showed me crawling into Andy’s lap, making the chair fall backwards mid-song.  
“Ew, get a room you two!” My face really began to flush as I watched my younger self run off with her high school sweetheart, holding his hand as they ran in between the tables.

“Skipping class to fuck, pipsqueak?” Felix shook his head mockingly, tsking at the same time. I turned my body so fast I almost fell out of the bean bag.

“We did not fuck!” I hissed as my face began to burn again. “All we did was make out.”

“Sure you did.” Suddenly, the room filled with snickers and I swiftly turned back to the tv. My eyes widened as I watched my younger self come back on screen without her boyfriend, hair askew...Wait a second, was that a-

“Is that a hickey?!” I immediately deflated and shrunk into the bean bag. Of course it had to be Heidi. 

“Damn, pipsqueak, didn’t think you had it in you. Are you sure you guys didn’t-” I don’t know how, but I got up on my feet so fast that I cut off Felix mid sentence. 

“That’s it!” I unhooked my laptop and shut it, despite the multiple protests I heard.

“Aw come on, it was just getting good!” I rolled my eyes as Heidi whined as she attempted to grab my laptop.

“Come on, don’t be that way, pipsqueak!” I knew Felix was only joking, but I had enough as I quickly left the room. This was too embarrassing. I was going to kill Hannah! As I slowly walked back to my room, my mind started to wander from thoughts of strangling my best friend for unintentionally embarrassing me to the warm and fuzzy memories I had of Andy and I.

I found myself in a daze as my pace slowed, before fully coming to a full stop. I leaned against the wall whilst looking out a window that overlooked Volterra. “Skipping class to fuck?” Felix’s question irked me. Not because it was so personal but because it was bringing back memories that I wish I could forget. Memories that were warm and inviting. 

I slowly started walking again, but I couldn’t keep my mind from going back to the one and only time Andy and I did “fuck,” as Felix subtly put it. It was back in high school, and I lied to dad about sleeping over at Hannah’s. I dropped my car off at her house, where Andy picked me up and we ended up in the backseat of his car behind the football field. Cliche, I know. Almost as cliche as the moment afterwards when we crawled on top of the hood and fell asleep gazing up at the night sky. 

As my mind went back to those tender moments, I subconsciously started to compare my clumsy experience with Andy to my borderline violent experiences with Marcus. With Andy, it hurt. A lot. But only because it was my first time. And despite how gentle he tried to be, the whole thing was sloppy as hell. My expectations for sex were completly squashed after that one experience. 

However, my involvement with Marcus was an entirely different experience. Before I saw him for who he really was, Marcus was passionate to the point of leaving bruises on my body. The only difference was that those bruises weren’t intentional like the ones when he beat me. And the passion left as quickly as it came. When he started to take advantage of me, the roughness turned into brutality. Both experiences left me never completely satisfied. My mind started to drift into the darker, hidden places where I kept my most intimate thoughts. And I slowly began to wonder what it would be like with Aro. His hands gliding over my skin ever so slowly, lighting myself on fire, despite the coolness. I started to shudder at the thought, as I bit my lip to prevent myself from moaning out loud.

I was too wrapped up in my intimate thoughts when I collided with Aro, letting out a gasp as I nearly fell backwards. If it weren’t for his hands, which, thankfully, not touching my bare skin, I would’ve fallen on my ass. Thank the lord I was holding my laptop tightly, otherwise it would’ve fallen to ground, shattering. I waited until I caught my breath before I opened my eyes. And once I did, I found Aro looking down at me, with one of his smiles that made me weak in the knees.

“Didn’t I tell you to be careful, Margaret?” I blushed slightly as he squeezed my shoulders slightly. The way he spoke to me when we’re alone was completely different than how he talked to me when the others were around. It was so intimate, it was borderline uncomfortable. He spoke to me like we were already involved. Which technically, was true. However, we have yet to be physically intimate. And that’s exactly how his tone sounded.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” That was a complete lie, and we both knew it. Aro chuckled lightly,

“And here I thought you were a good liar. The look in your eyes tells me otherwise. Now what could possibly be going through that pretty head of yours to make you wander into me?” Coming back down to earth, I wiggled out of his grip, inwardly smirking at the brief annoyance that gleamed in his own eyes.

“Excuse me, but I wouldn’t have walked into you if you didn’t just come out of nowhere! You need to stop scaring people.” Aro only chuckled in response.

“On the contrary my dear, it is you that needs to be careful. I wouldn’t want you to fall out a window.” The corners of his mouth quirked slightly as he reached out and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. 

“But we’re nowhere near a window,” I deadpanned. And not surprisingly, Aro chuckled.

“No, but you do seem to have a tendency to daydream. Of what, I can’t imagine.” That was a damn lie, and he knew it. The devilish smirk he gave only proved my point. He backed me up into the wall, with one arm placed above me on one side. I knew where this was heading, so I decided to tease him. As Aro leaned down towards me, I flawlessly turned the other way and slowly started walking.

I knew I must’ve incurred his frustration, because he was at my side in a flash. “Please, I wasn’t daydreaming. Felix just annoyed me again, that’s all.” From the corner of my eye, I could see Aro stiffen in place, so I stopped walking. His normally charming expression hardened, and his face twitched slightly. Gotcha!

“You seem to be spending a lot of time with him, it seems.” I had to stifle my laughter as Aro made no attempt to hide his displeasure. Making him jealous was more entertaining than hanging out with the guys down at the Rez.

“Well, yeah, considering you want me followed nearly everywhere I go, I kind of have to.”

“I do that for your protection,” he replied vehemently. “Besides, there are other members of the guard for you to spend your time with.” Yikes, his tone was borderline accusatory. Better reign this in, fast.

“Relax. I do make it a habit to spend time with Heidi and the rest of them. Felix and I just happen to get along better. There’s nothing for you to worry about.” I was not prepared for what Aro said next.

“I could say the same for you and young Renata.” I didn’t have to look at him to know that he was intentionally being smug, as if to say, two can play at this game. I turned to look at him, quite furiously, only for his amusement.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Another damn lie. Whenever I saw him walking with Renata, I made it very obvious that I was upset about it. 

Aro’s eyes gleamed dangerously as he slowly backed me into the wall again. He chuckled darkly as he barricaded me with both arms above my head. “Oh, my dear. There’s no point in lying to me now. I don’t have to look inside your head to know what you’re thinking. Your body language speaks for itself.” He put a hand on the bony prominence of my waist, sensuously rubbing up and down, making me shiver slightly. “And right now, it’s telling me you were indeed daydreaming. Care to tell me what was going on in your pretty head?”

His cheshire grin only widened as my face flushed. Shit, shit, shit! If he saw what I just thought moments before I walked into him...I wanted to open my mouth in protest, but as Aro moved his hand slowly up the side of my body, all the sass I had in me before quickly dissipated. I could feel his hand move from the side of my hip to my backside, before settling on my shoulder, just shy of my collarbone. He chuckled darkly as I bit my lip slightly, trembling as I inwardly tried to ward off his hand.

I didn’t have time to react when I felt his thumb briefly settle on my collarbone. For I knew that one single touch revealed everything. I barely had time to blink when I saw Aro’s eyes darken to the point where they looked onyx. And before I knew it, Aro was clutching on to me like I was about to disappear, with one hand behind my head, the other on my waist. I let out a mixture between a gasp and a moan as I felt his lips press against my collarbone, making his way up my neck, quite passionately. 

My body arched into him in response, making him growl slightly. “You’re not the only one, my dear,” Aro whispered hoarsely. I wondered what the actual fuck he meant by that until realization hit me like a ton of bricks when he raised his head to look at me. With his forehead against mine, Aro gazed at me with a look I’ve never seen before. It was a look that was complete hunger and desire, a look that told me he knew exactly what I was thinking beforehand. A look that completely understood my own frustrations, and sought to relieve them. 

Once again, Aro turned his head to one side, and leaned forward as he moved his hand from the back of my head to cup my face. Our noses were touching, our lips mere inches apart. “Hey pipsqueak, where are ya?” I nearly headbutted Aro as the sound of Felix’s voice made me jump. Without letting me go, Aro turned his head slightly in the direction of Felix’s voice, visibly annoyed to the point that he was almost angry. And to be honest, I was a bit angry myself. As much as I hated to admit it. As the sound of Felix’s (or at least I presumed it was Felix) footsteps drew near, Aro turned back to look at me. He stared at me quite longingly, with a pained expression on his face, before vanishing back the way he came from.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Despite me pointing out how opulent his efforts to please me, Aro still went to great lengths to try to win my favor. Not that he actually needed that much effort to begin with. 

Almost every single morning, I woke up to at least one bouquet of flowers that Heidi brought in with my breakfast. Each one came a handwritten note that started off quite innocently. But as the days went on, they slowly moved from innocent flirtations to him subtly revealing his ardent desires. And in rare mornings, they were borderline scandalous. I found myself clinging to Aro’s notes that I had to stash them away to keep my sanity. Thankfully, I had the guard to keep me distracted.

Speaking of the guard, Aro made no more mention of his jealousy for my relationship with Felix. Even though it apparently still bothered him whenever he saw me walking with Felix. When I told Felix about Aro’s irrational jealousy, he nearly doubled over from laughing. Overall, I was enjoying my time in Volterra, but a part of me missed home. I was terribly worried for Bella and the guys down at the Rez, especially Jake. I knew Victoria wasn’t a threat for them anymore, but they put themselves in so much danger. 

Eventually, I got up the nerve to call Bella, who, like Hannah, was concerned for my well being. But thankfully, she knew the whole story and didn’t freak out as much as my best friend. “Are you doing ok, though? They aren’t mistreating you, are they?” By they, she meant Aro. 

I was laying on the soft grass, looking up at the cloudy sky in the garden, listening to the sounds of birds chirping as I talked with my sister. Not too hot, not too cold, just the way I liked it. “Nah, everybody’s cool. Except Caius, he’s still an asshole.” Bella laughed.

“They all are.” And by they, she meant Jane and the rest of the guard. I knew she was only half-joking, but I felt the need to defend my newfound friends. 

“Hey now, they aren’t that bad, I promise,” I said as I struggled to sit up. 

“How can you say that?!” I nearly fell back at my sister’s choice of words. “I mean, you’ve seen what Jane did. They even tried to kill Edward!” Oh boy, I know where this was heading. And I’m not sure if I wanted to go there.

“Ok, I admit that what Jane did was uncalled for, but she really isn’t that awful.”

“Are you kidding? Did you forget what she did to Edward? And to you?” I went silent for a moment, remembering my attempted sacrifice. While I did it to save my sister, it was rather foolish. Not that I regret it, but it truly was idiotic of me.

“Of course not. To be honest, I’m still a little upset with Aro over that whole thing. But after spending a lot of time with everybody, I can already tell that there’s more to them than their reputation.” This was obviously the wrong answer.

“Maggie, you can’t be serious! They almost killed Edward!” I rolled my eyes. Surely she can’t realize if Edward wasn’t acting like such a knob then he wouldn’t have been in that mess. Sighing, I adjusted my sunglasses.

“Yeah, well, excuse me if I don’t have any sympathy for someone who stages a dramatic event in order to get himself killed because he overreacted to a false claim.” Should I feel bad about saying my opinion in front of my sister? Yes. Am I? Not in the slightest. Why should I apologize for speaking the truth?

Again, this was the wrong thing to say to Bella, who went off and said she was never going to speak to me again. In turn, I yelled, “Fine, be that way!” I hung up and threw my phone down before collapsing back on my back. Ugh! What did she even see in him, anyway? Granted, after talking with Edward in Jacksonville, I had a much better understanding of his motives and rationale. But the way she clinged on him was borderline disturbing. Whenever Edward was over or whenever I saw them outside of the house, it was like they were in their own little world.

To make matters worse, that musical chuckle I grew so accustomed to rang out from behind my stationary body. “Your sister seems rather headstrong, doesn’t she?” I didn’t move from my supine position on the grass as I heard Aro’s voice from somewhere above or behind me.

“More like stubborn. Like, I really don’t get her obsession with Edward. It’s getting creepy.”

“Maybe young Isabella sees something you don’t.” I snorted. Yeah right.

“Oh please. Don’t be gross.” Both of us fell silent, and I could only assume that Aro sat down on the stone bench that was not too far behind me. The same bench I found uncomfortable to sit in. It would be really nice if there was some kind of cushioned swing.

"Is there any particular reason why you're laying on the grass?" Aro asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Cloud gazing. Bella and I used to do it all the time when we were kids."

"My dear, I think you need a blue sky for that. Not an overcast sky filled with clouds."

"Not true. You can still see patterns and clouds that pop out, like...that one." I pointed up. "And the different shades of gray make the sky look cooler." Aro chuckled again.

"I forgot how imaginative you humans can be." Another silence fell between us and I suddenly felt awkward. After our almost kiss the other day and with him seeing my forbidden thoughts, I found myself skittish around him lately.

I slowly sat back up and attempted to scoot backwards until my back hit the bench. Boy, things weren't getting easier as time moved forward. And I was finding this whole pregnancy thing a huge pain in the ass. Not because I was ungrateful towards my baby, but because it was limiting my ability to move comfortably and the random cramps I've been having. Letting myself settle a bit, I unconsciously leaned my head against Aro's leg. It was only after I felt him running his fingers through my hair did I push myself up to sit on the bench, as far from him as possible.

Despite having sunglasses on, I still felt extremely shy, so I took them off. There was no point in wearing them since apparently Aro could read me like a book. I could feel his intense stare as I kept my eyes on my hands, which were folded in my lap. Even when he reached out and touched my hair, I kept my gaze forward as I raised my head slightly. “I very much like your new haircut, my dear. Short hair suits you well.”

I scoffed. “Please. You only like it because my neck is fully exposed.”

“While that may be so, that’s not the actual reason. Your features are much more enhanced than they were before.” I blushed as Aro moved closer and brushed a lock of hair behind my hair. “Although, I am rather curious as to why you cut your hair.”

“Just needed a change, that’s all. I was feeling overwhelmed with everything that was happening.”

“Like that tedious wedding?” I froze, eyes fixed on the grass in front of me. I was waiting for him to bring that night up. I think you and I need to have a chat soon, my sweet. If I was shy before, I was downright embarrassed now.

Gritting my teeth, I scooched away from him. “Don’t ever talk to me about that night again.” Unfortunately for me, the bench was only so long. And soon, Aro was only inches from me.

“And why shouldn't I? You and I have so much to talk about. Particularly what goes on through that pretty head of yours," Aro grinned at me wickedly, pushing another lock of hair behind my ear. I felt my eyes flutter shut, tightening as he continued to caress my curls. Please, not now.

"Because I don't want to talk about it." I turned my body away from Aro, hugging myself tightly as I hung my head. I felt my eyes start to burn, due to the mounting embarrassment. 

I felt Aro's cool hands gently pry my arms away from my body, before gently forcing my body towards his. Somehow, he managed to scoot closer to me, before gently lifting my head. "Why must you be so embarrassed, my dear? I've seen plenty of minds worse than yours." I grimaced as the fool chuckled lightly. 

Upon seeing my discomfort, Aro put both of his hands at the base of my neck, thumbs grazing my skin. "Despite what you may think, your mind is perhaps the most beautiful one I have ever seen. You have nothing to be ashamed about, considering your desires are mine." 

I opened my mouth to protest, to deny everything he's said. But nothing came out, for we both knew he was right. Aro looked at me, not with his usual desirous gaze, but with a more tender look. And once again, we found ourselves close together. Aro leaned down, letting his forehead rest on mine as one of his hands cupped my face.

I shivered slightly as his thumb gently brushed my lips before it returned to the side of my face. Our noses touched as Aro brought me closer to him by cupping both sides of my face. “Beautiful.” I let my eyes flutter shut as I prepared for the inevitable. Something that I’ve been fighting the urge to do myself. Despite the many interruptions, despite the inner battle inside me that told me to suppress my feelings, I longed for this. I craved to feel his lips on mine. I long to welcome the new set of frustrations that would come after we kissed.

"I thought I'd find you out here, Aro." Damn it! A soft, but refined voice forced us to pull apart. And for a split second, I thought Aro was going to snap. He hungrily gazed at my lips for a moment before turning to look behind us. Given the fact that we were interrupted so many times already, I thought he would look pissed. But to my surprise, that charming grin of his returned to his face.

Letting go of me, Aro rose from the bench and walked towards a rather thin looking woman with ashy blonde hair and skin that resembled powder. Her prominent bony features in her face made her appear like she swallowed a lemon. Or she just seemed timid. She was wearing a long, black Victorian styled gown that had a spidery lace pattern and brass buttons that went up to her neck. This must be Caius’ wife. “Ah, Athenodora. How lovely it is to see you again.” He greeted her with a kiss on both sides of her face, and I had to control myself as I slowly stood up. Not in America. Not in America. Not in America! “What brings you down from the tower, my dear?” Stop it, stop it, stop it!

“Caius needs you. The Romanians are causing trouble again.” The willowy blonde kept her gaze on me as Aro sighed and rubbed his temples. Like her husband, Athenodora was imposing. 

However, there was a difference between the two. Caius was imposing in a menacing way. Athenodora was shrouded in a veil of mystery, a veil that seemed impregnable. I tried to hide my nervousness as she slowly took a step towards me. Cradling my bump, I felt myself beginning to lean back on my heels, slowly rocking back and forth. "I've also come to meet the young lady who sassed my husband. Corin has told me so many things she’s heard from the rest of the guard.”

If I wasn't nervous before, I was now. I stopped rocking on my heels and hugged myself as she continued to stare at me with calculating eyes. Aro turned back to look at me with a slightly worried expression on his face before slowly making his way over to me. He gently put an arm around my shoulders before leaning down to whisper in my ear. “Don’t be afraid. She’s been wanting to meet you.” Yeah, right. 

Still holding onto me, Aro slowly led me to where the elegant yet mysterious vampire stood. As we got closer to her, I noticed she wore her hair in a very extravagant chignon updo that was parted down the middle, with a few thick strands that hung loosely from the sides of her head. Soon, I was standing face to face in front of the elusive Athenodora. She was maybe only a few inches taller than me. Then again, she could have been wearing heels. “My dear, this is Athenodora, Caius’ wife. Athenodora, this is young Margaret. For now, she’ll be staying with us for a short while.”

I heard that. Don’t think I don’t know what you meant by that. I gave Aro a pointed look from the corners of my eye, which he purposely ignored as he squeezed my shoulders. I returned my gaze to the willowy vampire in front of me, whom, to my surprise, regarded me with great interest. I was about to open my mouth to say something when Athenodora grabbed my hand and held it between hers, her ruby eyes sparkling. “Why, I’ve never seen eyes that blue before! Are you sure they’re not contacts?” 

I was startled by her sudden enthusiasm. Her demeanor was very frigid only moments ago. Laughing nervously, I wriggled out of Aro’s grip. “No...No. They’re real. Don’t ask me how. I mean, my mom has blue eyes, but not as dark as mine. My dad’s dark eyes must’ve fused with hers.” The corners of her mouth quirked up slightly. I gasped and jumped back slightly as Athenodora leaned closer to get a good look. A little too close. Aro lifted a hand to stop her but brought it to his mouth when he realized it was too late.

“They are so pretty! I’m so jealous,” she exclaimed as she pulled away. “It’s a shame that you won’t have them for much longer.” Wait, what?! My eyes widened, as did Aro’s. I couldn’t tell who’s were bigger at the moment. But that didn’t matter right now. What mattered was what the actual fuck she meant by that? Was Aro planning on turning me into a vampire so soon?!

“Huh?” My eyes flickered in fear back and forth between Aro and Athenodora. Aro was a mixture of fury and apprehension, while Athenodora remained unbaffled.

I didn't have time to blink as Aro stepped in front of me. "You promised you would behave.” From all my interactions with him, I could tell that Aro was able to hide his emotions easily, not letting his anger get the best of him, like Caius. However, there were times where his anger was subtly evident in his charismatic demeanor. And this was one of those times. 

Athenodora casually brushed him aside with a hand, and I must say that despite how shocked and betrayed I was at this revelation, I will never get tired of seeing Aro so miffed. “I promised you nothing. You are not my husband.” Fucking burn. I nearly let out a laugh as Athenodora gave me a subtle wink, which did not go unnoticed by Aro, who’s face twitched slightly. ‘And besides,” she strolled over to me with great confidence. I flinched slightly as she placed a cold hand on my shoulder, watching her turn and stare at Aro quite smugly. “I’m only stating the obvious. This young lady has beautiful eyes. You should think twice about keeping them around a bit longer.” I blushed as my eyes found Aro’s, which were filled with something I had never seen before. Instead of offering a rebuttal like he normally does, Aro fell silent as he probed me with his eyes. Athenodora watched with a knowing look and stepped back as Aro slowly stepped towards me, his eyes never leaving mine.

Once again, I found myself staring up at Aro, with my bump separating us as we stood toe to toe. For only the second time in my life, I saw regret in Aro’s eyes. I wasn’t anticipating what happened next. “I need to go see Caius now, sweetheart. I’ll come see you later.” Sweetheart? Since when did he start calling me that? He leaned down and kissed my forehead gently and looked at me for a moment before disappearing once more.

After he had disappeared, I subconsciously reached up and touched my forehead. Staring at the spot where Aro stood, I could feel myself dangling off the precipice of desire as I felt the dynamic shift, quite drastically.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Aren’t you going to eat, sweetheart? Your dinner will get cold." Recently, Aro's been joining me for dinner. Or rather, he just conveniently shows up right after Heidi brings me my food. Then he just makes himself at home, making it awkward for me to eat.

"No, this is weird," I said as I stared at my pasta before me. It truly was weird. I have a phobia of eating things in front of others while they're not eating.

Aro chuckled. "Pray tell, how is this weird?”

“It’s a human thing, I guess. Like whenever I go out to eat with Bella or one of my friend’s, sometimes one of us will get our food before anyone else does. And that person usually is me,” I chuckled nervously. “And I just don’t feel right eating in front of other people! It makes me feel uncomfortable because I feel guilty that I have food and they don’t.”

Aro chuckled once more. “Humans never cease to amaze me. Especially you, my dear.” I stopped poking my food with the fork in my hand and lifted my head to look at Aro, who was leaning forward slightly while resting his chin in the palm of his hand. I felt my face burn as his eyes probed me once more, before I quickly returned my gaze to my untouched plate. “Would it make you feel better if I joined you?” 

I was just about to take a bite when he said that. “What?” It only took me seconds for me to process what Aro had said. I let my fork drop to the plate and pulled a face at Aro after realizing what he meant. “Please don’t. That’s disgusting!” The bastard only chuckled.

“Why is it? I have to eat as well.”

“Feed. You mean feed. There’s a difference. And besides, I really can’t stand the site of blood,” I made a face as Aro chuckled a little darkly.

“My dear, you do realize what we are? What I am?” I swore I saw humor and mischief gleam in Aro’s eyes as he smirked at me.  
“I do, but you’re talking to a girl who almost passed out in junior year biology when we did blood typing.” I shuddered at the memory, recalling how I slipped off the metal stool, nearly hitting my head on the floor as I attempted to grab the lab table. 

“May I?” Aro offered his hand, which I stared at uneasily. I didn’t want him to see any of my embarrassing moments, and this particular memory was one of them. My eyes flitted back and forth between Aro’s hand and his eyes, which sparkled quite mischievously. Normally, I wouldn’t have been so lenient with him going through my memories. But now…

I slowly gave Aro my hand, which he took eagerly. Closing my eyes, I let myself travel back to junior year biology.

*Flashback*  
I was sitting at a table with Hannah, nervously pulling at the sleeves of my sweater. Today was the day Mr. Molina was having us figure out our blood type. By ourselves with a lancet. I knew about this lab activity for weeks, thanks to the class syllabus. But I was still nervous. “Dude, are you ok?” I turned to look at my best friend, who seemed oblivious to my phobia. 

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? You look really pale. Did you drink enough water this morning?” Nope. Before I could answer, Mr. Molina walked in the room, trying to carry a few cardboard boxes.

“Ok guys, I want you all to take one piece from each box,” he said as he set said boxes down on a table, telling a girl named Avery to start passing the boxes around the room. Pulling out a pair of rubber gloves from his lab coat, Mr. Molina snapped them onto his hands. The sound of rubbing gloves hitting human flesh was quite unsettling, and a shiver went up my spine. “The first should be an indicator card. The second is a four-pronged applicator. And the third is a sterile micro-lancet.” Mr. Molina held each object up as he announced them.

I could feel my insides churning as he held up the micro-lancet, even though the barb was invisible from view. I instinctively hugged myself around my stomach, trying not to double over. I’ve always been afraid of needles, or any sharp thing for that matter. I remember when I was younger I accidentally stepped on a rusty nail, and dad had to bring me to the hospital to get a tetanus shot. Both were completely agonizing and I screeched like a banshee. “Hey,” Hannah put a hand on my arm, and I nearly jumped out of my seat. “Are you sure you’re ok? Do you want me to take you to the nurse?”

I shook my head fervently as Mr. Molina came around with a dropper filled with water. “I’m coming around with a dropper to prepare your cards. Please don’t start until I get to you.” Deep breaths, Maggie. It’ll be alright! “Once I put water in each of the squares, carefully prick your finger with the lancet.” He grabbed Avery’s hand and thrusted the spike into the tip of one of her fingers. Shit, shit shit! 

I could feel myself starting to sweat, despite wearing a lightweight sweater. Without thinking about it, I started to rock back and forth on my stool, biting my lip to the point where it almost started to bleed. “You don’t look so good. Are you sure you want to do this? I’m sure Mr. Molina would let you slide on this.” I ignored Hannah as I watched our teacher squeeze Avery’s finger gently until blood started gushing from her finger. I could feel air get caught halfway in my trachea, and I almost choked.

“Once you put a small drop on each of the prongs, apply it to the card. Just a reminder that the Red Cross is having a blood drive in Port Angeles next weekend. If you’re not 18 yet, I have permission slips on my desk.” Finally, Mr. Molina arrived at our table and placed droplets in the squares. I watched as Hannah used the lancet and squeezed her finger. 

All of a sudden, the stench of rust and salt made its way to my nose, and I had to swallow the bile that immediately started to rise in my throat. Hannah turned to look at me, her face immediately filling with worry and fear. “Maggie, are you alright? Seriously, do you need to go to the nurse?” Upon hearing this, other kids turned to look at us, and I froze. This can’t be happening. “Here, do you want me to do it for you?” 

Before I could answer her, she grabbed my hand and jammed the lancet into my finger and squeezed it. Once I saw blood coming from my finger, I had enough. I needed to get out of here. Letting out a gasp, I stood up from my stool, wanting to quickly walk out of the classroom. However, I must have stood up too quickly because I nearly tripped over my own feet. Instinctively, my arms flailed forward and I managed to latch onto the table top as I felt myself slide to the floor.  
*End Flashback*

“All of that over a small drop of blood?” The corners of Aro’s lips quirked up as I pulled my hand away from his, shaking it like I just got burnt. “My dear, that was quite the overreaction.” I lifted my head and glared at the grinning idiot sitting across from me.

“Excuse me, no it wasn’t! I absolutely cannot stand the sight or smell of blood and I hate sharp objects! When I was a little girl I stepped on a rusty nail. In middle school, I personally saw another kid get his skull cracked open during a fight at recess. And in freshman year, my friend convinced me to watch The Silence of the Lambs at a sleepover when her parents were sleeping! So I’m glad to know that my traumatic experiences entertains you and makes you laugh.”

“Margaret, I’m not laughing at your ‘unfortunate’ circumstances. I’m laughing at the irony of you being frightened over the sight of blood while being mated with a vampire. I would hope that your misguided fears won’t stop you from becoming one yourself.” And there it was, the elephant in the room. I watched as Aro’s grin fell as I sat back in my chair and froze.

“So Athenodora was right. You do want to turn me.”

“Sweetheart, it’s not like that.” Oh, this again. I was genuinely curious on why he started calling me that. Usually he uses some Italian term of endearment. This just seemed so out of character for him. Unless it was because of the massive change in the dynamic of our relationship. Aro reached out to grab my hand, but I tore it away from him, betrayed. “While it is my wish for you to become a vampire, I do not want to turn you against your wishes.” 

I scoffed. “That’s not what was implied earlier, but ok.”

“Please don’t roll your eyes at me, Margaret. It’s getting tiresome.” I inwardly laughed as I tried to bite back a smirk, which luckily, went unnoticed by Aro. “Yes, it’s true that Athenodora should not have said the way she said it. But she didn’t mean no harm. When she found out about you, she was adamant about keeping you human, even after you have your baby.” I stared at him with a look of disbelief while wanting to believe him at the same time. He slowly stood up from the chair he was sitting in and made his way over to me. Once standing in front of me, Aro offered me his hand. “Come with me, sweetheart. I have something to show you."

I stared at his outstretched hand, wondering if I should take it. A few months ago, I would have straight up refused. But now, I was anxiously awaiting every touch, even if it meant Aro could read my thoughts. Blinking, I slowly reached out and grabbed his hand, which was surprisingly smooth. And strong. I thought with my ever growing bump it would have been hard for the both of us. But I underestimated the strength he had as a vampire.

He slowly led me over to where my closet was, except it wasn't the same wall. Or was it? Gah, my hatred for secret doors just intensified! I watched as Aro easily managed to find the handle. "Really? Another secret door?"

Aro turned his head and smiled at me slightly. "You'd be surprised how many we have of those around here. They can be quite useful when there's a war going on outside." 

"It sounds like you know a lot about that." 

"My dear, you don't know the half of it." I waited for him to elaborate, but he never did. Before I could react, my vision suddenly went dark as Aro blindfolded me.

"Seriously? Is this really necessary?" The bastard only chuckled.

"As necessary as the air you breathe. We wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, now would we?" And he had the gall to call me over dramatic before. Another surprise? Really? I can't wait to see what obnoxiously opulent gift he has this time.

"That sounds kinky." Before I knew it, Aro pressed himself against me from the behind. No pun intended. His lips were on my neck as both of his hands gripped my waist, with one of them sensually going up and down my side.

"Be careful my dear. We're not in front of the others like we were before." I could feel him smirk against my skin as I shivered slightly.. Aro squeezed my shoulders gently before releasing me. I heard a click as he opened the panel/hidden door. Grabbing my hands gently, Aro led me for a short distance before stopping. “Whatever you do my dear, keep your eyes closed.”What for? You already have my eyes covered. I scoffed as Aro moved to remove the blindfold. Unfortunately, he heard me while he was undoing the blindfold and settled his hands against my neck. “What did I say about rolling your eyes at me, Margaret?” How did he know? Geeze, nothing makes it past this man.

I felt the fabric pull away from my face as I kept my eyes scrunched tight, just as Aro told me to. However, I was unsure when I could open my eyes, so I just stood in place for what seemed like an eternity. After a while, Aro chuckled. “You know you can open your eyes now, my dear.”

“I don’t want to. I’m scared.”

“What is there to be scared of?” Aro asked, with a hint of amusement in his voice. Did he find everything that made me uncomfortable amusing?

“Because I know this surprise is going to be just like all the other surprises you’ve given me: opulent and over the top.” The fool only chuckled.

“I think, my dear, you may be pleasantly surprised this time around.” And that just confirmed that this was another opulent and over the top gift. I inwardly sighed before I slowly opened my eyes. However, as soon as my eyes adjusted, they almost fell out of their sockets. In front of me stood a well-decorated nursery. It wasn’t as big as my room, but it was cozy enough. The walls were a soft yellow with white molding on the top and bottom. On one side of the room was a very beautiful, white crib with baby blue upholstery with a matching blue and white crib skirt. It sat beneath a white canopy.

Near the crib was a very cozy rocking chair, with a foot stool. There was also a changing table, baby mobile, dresser, and a few plush toys. I felt my heart melt and my breath get caught in my trachea as I slowly made my way over to the crib, letting my hand slowly glide over the smooth wood. “I had Heidi design and put everything together. It’s only partially finished, of course. I expect you would want to change things once the baby is born.” I opened my mouth to say something, but the only thing that came out was a choked back sob. Blinking furiously, I slowly turned to look back at Aro. Without thinking, I walked over and threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. As I buried my face into his chest, Aro immediately wrapped his arms around my waist, or lack thereof, and rested his chin upon my head. “I take it you like it, sweetheart?”

I muttered “yes” as I continued to hold back tears. There were truly no other words to describe what I was feeling. This was probably the sweetest thing he has ever done. “Thank you,” I whispered hoarsely. “I love it.”

“And I love you, mia tesoro." I froze. Did he really just say what I thought he said? No, it's too early! Please don't push that on me!

We stood in silence for a few moments, still holding each other close. "I hope you don't expect me to return the favor." Another silence.

"No, but one day you will. I can see it in those beautiful eyes of yours. Your feelings for me are becoming more apparent. I don't need Chelsea to help me with that." I said nothing as I felt him bury his own face in my hair, humming slightly. Smart ass, I thought. But I knew deep down he was right. I was just too afraid to admit it to myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One day, I was coming back from sitting outside. It was a beautiful day, a rare one where the sun was present without any clouds. Because of this, neither member of the guard came out with me, even though we were perfectly hidden from other human eyes. 

I was curious to what vampires actually looked like in the sun, as I really didn't buy Bella's story about sparkling in the sun. I tried to get one of them to come out with me, to test the theory, but to no avail.

On this particular day, I was growing extremely uncomfortable. Not only from the heat but because I was feeling mild cramping in the lower part of my abdomen, so I decided to head back inside for a nap. Once inside, I leaned against the cool stone and let my eyes close, finally glad to be out of the warm, Italian sun.

Once recovered, I stretched slightly and proceeded to walk back to my room. Only I forgot how to get there. And surprisingly, none of the guard was there. Not even Heidi, who became one of my closest confidants. Shrugging my shoulders, I picked a direction and slowly moved down the hallway. I thought it was funny, that despite walking through the same halls constantly, I still haven’t can’t remember how to get somewhere. I guess I was just too dependent on the guard. I felt like I was going in circles.

As I made my way through the halls, which was more creepy when I was alone, I thought back on my time here. It’s been at least a good two and a half weeks, and despite my protests that fell on Carlisle’s deaf ears, I found myself enjoying it all. Mostly the company of the guard. And while Athenodora didn’t venture out from the tower that much, I saw her on occasion. She always made an effort to stop me whenever we saw each other. According to her, she wanted to bond with her new “sister.” As creepy as that was, I still enjoyed my time with her. Most of my time with her was spent in the art room watching her and Jane doing whatever. They tried to get me to join, but I declined, seeing that I didn’t want to embarrass myself. 

But whose company I most cherished and looked forward to was Aro’s, as much as I hated to admit. Spending time with him was different than spending time with the guard, mainly because we were alone. At first it was awkward, but I grew more comfortable as the days passed by. And because he made me laugh. Most of the time we sat in my room and talked, but if it was a cloudy day, we’d walk through the garden, and he’d hold my hand. Then there would be times where I’d be reading a book and he’d just stare at me, which I found unnerving. “What are you staring at?” I’d ask with humor and disbelief in my voice.

And he’d say something cheesy such as, “Something beautiful,” and I blush before burying my face in the book again. As each day passed, my feelings for Aro got stronger, despite my efforts to squish them. It was inevitable that there would be some sort of physical contact between us every time we spent together. Whether it being him holding my hand, a soft kiss on the forehead, or his foot “accidentally” hitting mine when we were sitting across from each other. Whenever there was physical contact, I’d always mask my feelings from his gift by playing a random song in my head, something that was completely non-romantic. However, this strategy failed as my mind would automatically shift in the opposite direction and play songs like “Love Me Tender,” “Goodnight, Sweetheart,Goodnight,” and “I Only Want to be With You.” Needless to say, Aro was slowly getting the upper hand in our little game, as evident by his cheshire cat grin that appears on his face every time my mind failed to block itself. Thankfully, he said nothing of it.

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn’t even notice that I ended up in the hallway that led to the throne room. I don’t know why, but this hallway creeped me out more than the other hallways in this place. “Heidi? Jane? Felix? Come on guys, this isn’t funny.” It really wasn’t. I’ve always had at least one member of the guard with me or nearby.

A sense of foreboding went down my spine as I carefully walked down the hallway. Not too far from the throne room, I nearly tripped on something that lay discarded on the ground. I furrowed my eyebrows as I bent down to get a better look. However, I nearly fell on my knees as I realized what it was: a teddy bear. No, absolutely not. Please, not this! After realizing where it came from, I wanted to throw up. I hugged the bear to my chest, squeezing it tight, in memory of the lost child. 

Sadness turned into anger as I felt my face harden. I needed to speak with Aro, whether he liked it or not. Slowly, I stood back up and continued to walk towards the throne room, ready to give that bastard a piece of my mind. However, before I could get there I ran into Heidi, Demetri, and Felix. The last two were carrying what looked like dead bodies on a stretcher. Oh god! I’ve never smelled a decomposing body before now, and it was absolutely retched. I pulled a face and pressed myself against the wall. “Hey shorty, what are you doing here?” Felix sounded nervous as he tried to hide the body pile from my view. 

All three of them looked nervous, like they’ve been hiding a dirty little secret. Heidi was the most nervous of them all as she wrung her hands. I stared at them in disbelief, trying to avoid the dead bodies that lay on the stretcher. “What am I-What am I doing here? Where the hell have you three been? I came back inside to go back to my room but no one was there. I got lost and found my way here.

“Maggie, we didn’t know you’d be coming back inside so early. It was time for us to feed and-” My eyes closed in annoyance as I held a hand to silence Heidi.

“Yeah, I can gather that,” I nodded to the pile of dead bodies that Demetri and Felix tried so desperately to hide the slowly rotting corpses. “Never mind. Is Aro in there?” I nodded to the partially open throne room, holding the teddy bear up in the air to emphasize my point. Heidi’s eyes went wide as Demtri and Felix awkwardly looked away. “Were there any children in this group, Heidi?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.

Heidi hesitated. Aha! Gotcha! “I don’t think that now’s the best time to talk with Master Aro-” Screw that! I pushed past her as I made my way to the throne room. Neither Demetri or Felix made an effort to stop me as I burst through the doors. They, like Heidi, merely followed me as I stopped dead in my tracks.

There before me was a sight like no other. Human corpses lay strewn across the marble floor, blood pooling beneath their bodies. Other members of the guard were slowly cleaning up the grotesque scene as I let my eyes slowly move across the floor. My heart shattered when I came across a few children, and I put an arm around my bump. I let out a choked sob, which caught the attention of Aro. “My dear, you shouldn’t be in here.” My eyes zoomed on a nervous looking Aro before they narrowed. Yeah, you better be nervous. Asshole. While taking a deep breath, I carefully avoided stepping on any dead body or stepping in a massive pool of blood. Did I mention I wasn’t wearing any shoes? I haven’t been wearing any lately as the coolness of the floors made it easier on my feet. However, it was inevitable that I stepped in small amounts of blood. But at this point, I didn’t care.

Not taking my eyes off Aro, who was becoming more weary by the minute, I finally came face to face with the vampire in question. The room fell completely silent as Aro and I stared at each other. However, unlike my second arrival in Volterra, no sexual tension was present. It was complete anger. “Children, Aro? Really?” I made no attempt to hide the disgust in my voice as I shoved the bear in his face, which he naturally deflected.

“My dear, I have no control over the humans Heidi brings to us.” He tried to put a hand on my face, but I flinched harshly.

“Don’t touch me!” Aro’s eyes widened, shocked that I would openly defy him. “And don’t give me that excuse. It’s not like you tell her not to.” My eyes started to burn, and I blinked furiously from letting any tears fall. Which had little to no success. “They’re innocent children, Aro! They have done absolutely nothing! None of these people did.”

“My dear, we have to feed. And we cannot feed on humans that live in Volterra. Heidi does what she has to in order to bring humans to us. It’s not our fault the humans bring their children.” Taking a step back, my eyes widened. I couldn’t believe how dismissive he was being! Aro took another step towards me, his face twitching in annoyance.

“I can’t believe you! You’re nothing but a monster, and I never want you near my baby and-” I was cut off mid-sentence when a familiar face emerged from the sea of corpses. Despite being drained of life and all personality, or lack thereof, Georgiana’s body lay among the corpses. I slowly walked away from Aro, who’s eyes I could feel burning a hole in the back of my head, and stopped mere inches away from her head. 

Staring at the corpse of my high school nemesis brought on weird feelings. One on hand, my younger self would feel elated about Georgiana getting her kemumpance. Yes, I was horrible in high school too, but who wasn’t. We all have our dark sides. But on the other hand, looking at her decomposing plastic body with her eyes rolled back into her head made me feel strange. I neither felt happiness or sadness. I remembered talking with Andy before the wedding, and how he casually mentioned that Georgiana wanted to add Volterra to their honeymoon itinerary. But if she’s here, then that means...Oh no. Please! 

I dared to let my eyes wander, and I nearly collapsed on the floor as I let out a cry. There before me, lying in a deep pool of blood, was my first love. My high school sweetheart. Someone who’d I’d always consider a friend. Oh god, no! I collapsed on my knees beside Andy’s head. Thankfully his eyes were closed. Andy, you idiot, I told you not to come here! I slowly raised a hand and let it caress his now cold face. If I was hiding tears before, I made no attempt to do so now. A steady stream of tears fell down my face as I shook violently. Not caring who was watching, I leaned down and kissed Andy on the lips, not caring if there was blood or not.  
I let my hands explore his pockets, and I found his wallet. Opening it gently, I found something I never expected to find. Especially not after his wedding. It was an old polaroid of us back in high school. It was taken at La Push, Andy was sitting on one of the logs with me standing/bending behind him with my arms wrapped around his neck. I gently smiled at the photo before letting out another sob. “Damn it!” I probably startled everybody in the room, but I didn’t care. “For once in your life, why couldn’t you listen to me! I told you not to come here, and yet you did anyway. Andy, you idiot!” 

I continued to sob over his body as I felt a cool hand press firmly on my shoulder. I had no doubt about whose hand it was. Clouded with rage, I slowly stood up from the floor, not caring that I had blood on my knees or hands. I didn’t say anything to Aro as I turned to face him. Like I said before, he was very good at not letting any emotions show. But it was very clear that he was getting upset with me. Not that I gave a damn. I stared at him for a moment before attempting to hit him with my balled up fists. Unfortunately for me, he was able to grab both of my wrists thanks to his catlike reflexes. And unfortunately for me, he made no effort to soften his grip. “Let go of me.” My voice dripped with venom, which only annoyed Aro further.

“No. I will not let you go until you calm down.” There was something so eerie about his calm, but edgy voice. I snorted.

“Oh that’s rich, coming from you! Just the other day you claimed you wanted to protect me and that no man should ever put his hands on a woman. And yet, here you are, hurting me. Some man you are. You’re pathetic and I hate you!” Something inside me told me I was going to regret what I said, but I didn’t care. My bravado slipped slightly as I heard him growl, and for a mere moment, I was frightened. Thankfully, he loosened his grip on my wrists.

“My dear, you need your rest. I would strongly advise you to do so. Now.” I continued to glare at Aro as he nodded for Felix, who gently placed his hands on my shoulders.

“Shorty, come on. This is not where you want to be right now.” I stared at Aro, who stared back with equal intensity. Glaring at him one more time, I picked up the teddy bear I had thrown and swiftly turned on my heels and followed Felix.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All I could do was cry for the next few days. It hurt so bad, my sobs shook me to the core. I didn’t care who could hear me. Thankfully, the crying only lasted a short duration. Then it turned to an eerie silence. Whenever Heidi or any other member of the guard tried to come check on me, I’d yell at them to go away. 

However, whenever I was walking the halls, I barely saw Aro anymore. If I did, we’d walk past each other without a second glance. I vaguely remember him coming to see me hours after our fight, but we’d only stare at each other before I would turn away, not showing interest in him whatsoever. He made no attempts to see me after that.

I still ate of course, but not for me. If it weren’t for my baby, I might’ve not been eating at all. I slept with the teddy bear every night, aching for something to hold. The devil on my shoulder kept repeating that I didn’t deserve my baby. And maybe she was right. Let’s face it, I was a complete wreck.

I wanted to call Hannah, but what was I supposed to say? Sorry, I haven’t called because I saw one of our friends die? Boy, some conversation that would be. I wanted to call Bella, but we weren’t speaking either. And I felt awful. Multiple times I wrote a text before deleting it, debating if she would even answer. After days of wallowing in pity I finally plucked up the courage and wrote a short, but apologetic text. However, I turned my sound off so I wouldn’t hear it ping. 

That same day, I finally decided to come out of my room, hoping I might run into Athenodora. I missed her, and craved her advice. As I walked through the halls however, I did not run into Athenodora. I ran into the last person I wanted to see: Aro. We both stopped dead in our tracks, like we were both deer in headlights. However, we weren’t standing so close like before. 

We stared at each other, neither one of us willing to back down. However, Aro broke the silence. “And just where do you think you’re going, my dear?” His voice was hard, not having the same tenderness he always spoke with whenever we were alone. I narrowed my eyes slightly.

“I’m going out. I need some fresh air. Or did you forget I’m not some bird you can keep in a gilded cage?” His face twitched, but said nothing.

“And pray tell me why you can’t take a walk in the gardens where I can keep an eye on you?” Oh hell no, he did not just say that. I took a few steps closer to him, but stopped when I felt close enough, narrowing my eyes.  
“I was under the impression that I could go out as long as I had one of the guard with me. Or was that another lie?” A hint of danger flickered in Aro’s now bright red eyes, but it passed. Waiting for his rebuttal, I was surprised he only sighed.

“Fine. But you will take one of the guard with you and be back before the sun goes down, or I will come get you myself. Do you understand me, Margaret?” His palms twitched, and I can tell he wanted to have some sort of physical contact, but I stepped back slightly. I nodded stiffly, not wanting to provoke him any further. “Good.” And with that, he was gone.

I managed to get Heidi to come with me, who said she wanted to do some shopping anyways. It was a sunny day, so she wore her scarf, sunglasses, and glove, and we chatted amicably as we walked the streets of Volterra. However, I could tell she was definitely avoiding the elephant in the room, which was my fight with Aro. I could also tell that she wanted to talk about it, but the look on my face told her she knew better.

We outside at a small cafe, with her rummaging through the various bags she had and I eating my strawberry gelato. Somehow I regretted asking Heidi to go with me, as the chatter became quite stagnant. It eventually turned to the elephant in the room, and I quickly looked for a way out of the conversation. I brought up the fact that I haven’t done any shopping yet, and Heidi grabbed for my wrist so fast I’m surprised it didn’t break. I let her drag me through the streets of Volterra until she finally found a shop she liked. As she got lost in her own shopping, I eyed the exit, which was open to let in the cool breeze. 

I waited until Heidi was in the dressing room to make my escape. However, once outdoors, I had no idea where to go. As it appeared we were far from the square where Edward almost got himself killed. So I picked a direction and casually walked through the streets. I found an alleyway that was similar to the one where Alice drove through only a few months ago, and decided to go down it as it was less crowded.

The people started to thin out as I slowly made my way to the outskirts. I found the spot where Alice parked that obscenely yellow Porsche, and leaned against the tree, savoring the shade. And that’s when I heard it. Someone calling my name, like a whisper in the wind. It sounded so familiar, yet I didn’t recognize it. Opening my eyes, I took in my surroundings, but didn’t see anything. There it was again. Shaking my head, I closed my eyes again, blaming it on my insomnia. Most nights I’ve been having nightmares, many of which Aro appeared in. Aro. Damn him! Sighing, I opened my eyes, wanting to distract myself from the vampire in question. However, in front of me was someone whom I thought I’d never see again. Someone whom I believed to be dead. “Marcus?” Before I knew it, everything went black as I fell to the ground.


	31. Gone

Aro POV

That woman. That enchanting yet infuriating woman! Sometimes I wonder if she’ll be the death of me. It was all going so well. At first she was rather shy, whenever I saw her walking with Heidi. I always found it adorable the way her face looked after I would purposely let my hand brush against hers when we passed each other in a hallway. I really would miss the way she would blush when she felt embarrassed. 

As the days slowly crept by, at least for me they did, I watched young Margaret slowly come out of her shell. While I was pleased with her getting well acquainted with the guard, with young Jane especially, I was not happy about her close affinity with Felix. Seeing her openly flirt and joke with him irritated me beyond belief. What was she playing at? When I first saw them together I thought they were just laughing over some silly human joke or a movie they had watched with the rest of the guard. But then I noticed he started calling her nicknames and putting his arm around her shoulder. It drove me to the brink of insanity. However, after looking through Margaret’s mind, I found that her intentions were innocent. Apparently it’s quite common among humans to openly flirt with others who aren’t their mates, which I found to be strange. With this, I was reassured over Margaret’s feelings for me, no matter how hard she tried to deny herself, much to my amusement. However, this didn’t stop me from taking out my annoyance on Felix. Whether it be sending him out on a difficult assignment or whacking him alongside the head as I walked past him, much to the amusement of the rest of the guard.

Speaking of the guard, I was pleased with how well young Margaret was getting along with them all. Especially with young Jane, who served as the source for Margaret’s animosity, which was partially justified. I also noticed that Margaret was spending a lot of time with Heidi, both voluntarily and against her own will. I watched in amusement as Margaret tried to stop Heidi from fawning over her. Despite what she may think, Margaret was worth fawning over. The more Margaret fought Heidi, the more amused I became.

I purposely went out of my way to walk by her whenever I saw her with Heidi. I would be walking on one side of the hallway while the duo walked in the opposite direction on the other side of the hallway. I purposely made sure I made eye contact with Margaret, which brought out that enduring trait of hers. I also made an effort to move closer to her, letting my hand subtly brush against hers, causing her face to grow redder than what it already was, much to my amusement and desire.

What I also found amusing was her apparent jealousy towards Renata, which she made no visible attempts to hide. To be honest, the idea of intentionally making Margaret jealous never crossed my mind. Nor would I do it deliberately. At least not in a way to hurt her. The first time she saw me walking with Renata was well before I started seeing her with Felix, which incurred my own jealousy. That first time Margaret saw Renata and I, she completely rebuked my advances, refusing to let her beautiful blue eyes meet my own scarlet ones. She even had the nerve to side step around Heidi to avoid me. And interestingly enough, after that first experience, I noticed an increase in her flirtations with Felix. Subconsciously, I started walking with Renata more in response to Margaret’s flirtations. Only to be met with the same behaviors from before.

Which unnerved me more than it should. I longed for any physical contact with her, no matter how small. In particular, I was longing to have physical contact with her heart-shaped lips of hers. The same lips she subconsciously bit whenever she was nervous and/or embarrassed. And I came so close to achieving my long desired goal to sealing our relationship. For we both knew that once we reached that level of physical contact, there was no going back. 

The first near-experience was after young Margaret accidentally ran into me in the hallway, daydreaming. Oh, she claimed she wasn’t daydreaming, but I could tell that she was. Her eyes were in a daze and she was biting her lip. And moaning. Moaning over the thought of me making love to her. When I read her thoughts, I nearly caved and took her right then and there, pressing her against the wall and clinging to her like she was going to disappear. If she only knew how often this same thought ran through my mind. Just as I was about to kiss her, we were interrupted, by Felix, of all people. Margaret nearly hit me with her head as she jumped in response to the unwanted interruption. Much to my surprise, she was just annoyed as I was.

The second occurrence happened when we were sitting outside in the gardens. I found young Margaret lying in the grass, apparently partaking in the silly human tradition of finding shapes in clouds. I was somewhat familiar with the phenomenon, and I argued that she needed a blue sky. However, she was still able to defend herself in her usual human manner, which made me chuckle. This seemingly innocent encounter shifted to a more serious one, as I attempted to make conversation about what I saw at that tedious wedding.

Clearly, Margaret was embarrassed over the erotic images that went on in her mind. From reading her mind, I could tell she tried very hard to push these images away by hiding them in the recesses of her mind. It was almost as if she were ashamed of them. Frankly, I was a little hurt at this notion. As I too have my own images running through my mind. Images that involved the both of us in compromising positions, which have caused me to break more furniture in my office and caused me to venture outside of Volterra to take out my increasingly pent up frustrations on an unsuspecting human.

I had to gently pry her arms away from her face as I reassured her that there was nothing to be embarrassed about. And the vulnerable look she had in her eyes only fueled my desires more. I wanted to hold her as close as I could, to make everything better. It was clear she was still hurting from everything that happened in her life, and I wanted her to feel safe. And loved.

Our noses were touching when I heard Athenodora's voice call out. If it were any other person, I would've snapped their necks over the frustration of being denied once again. I greeted Caius' wife in the usual manner, kissing her on both sides of her face. Which Margaret didn't like at all.

Ever since she found out Margaret was staying with us, Athenodora was adamant about meeting her. I had my doubts. I debated whether it was the right time to introduce the two, as Athenodora could be just as unpredictable as Caius. I nearly regretted allowing this meeting as Athenodora made an off-handed comment about Margaret's eyes and my desire to turn her.

Margaret stared at the two of us, a mixture of confusion and betrayal in her eyes as I stepped in front of the two women. "You promised you would behave.” However, my empty threat did not seem to bother Athenodora as she brushed me aside with her hand as she made her way over to an anxious looking Margaret.

“I promised you nothing. You are not my husband.” I felt my face twitch slightly as Margaret attempted to hold back her gorgeous laugh. I briefly clenched my hands into fists as embarrassment washed over me as Athenodora continued to mock me in front of my mate. “And besides,” she turned to look at me with a smug look that could rival Caius’. She was truly his wife in every way. “I’m only stating the obvious. This young lady has beautiful eyes. You should think twice about keeping them around longer.”

She did have a point. Margaret did have the most beautiful eyes, for a human. In the many millenia I’ve been “alive,” I’ve come across many female humans with a variety of eye shapes and colors. But none could come close to Margaret’s cat-like eyes that were as blue as sapphires. Or rather, blue as a deep ocean left unexplored. And that’s what hers were. Somewhere hidden in her irises was a siren that was constantly luring me in, inviting me to explore the very depths of her soul. 

As I turned to look at her, Margaret regarded me quite warily. Athenodora wisely stepped out of the way as I slowly made my way to my mate. I nearly lost my nerve as I kept my eyes on hers. So many thoughts ran through my mind as I came face to face with my mate, with her adorable, and not so little, bump separating us. As I dived into the oceans of her eyes, guilt washed over me like a tidal wave. Maybe Athenodora was right. Maybe I was rushing things too quickly. 

After all, Margaret was only 23 years old. Frankly, I found that much too young after seeing her memories and reading her thoughts. The human brain isn’t fully developed until the age of 25. But her developing brain isn’t the cause for concern. Within the next few months, she’ll become a mother, and her child will take precedence over everything. Including myself. If I were to turn her after the child is born, there’s no telling how the child will react. 

But my biggest concern was rather a selfish one. And that was losing her gifts of humanity. Her sapphire irises would be replaced by rubies. No more would I get to delight in her rosy flesh, which was warm to the touch. Most of all, I would lose the sound of her beating heart. The same sound that kept my sanity intact. Most of the time. “I need to go see Caius now, sweetheart. I’ll come see you later.” I kissed her forehead gently and took one more look into her now bewildered eyes before disappearing.

True to my word, I did visit Margaret later on that day. Or rather, during the late evening when she was eating. But she was eating very little. “Aren’t you going to eat, sweetheart? Your dinner will get cold.” I watched with concern as Margaret poked her food, avoiding my gaze. She truly did need to eat something. Whenever I sat with her, she refused to eat. Then again, I may have been the root cause, given how fidgety she acts around me.

“No, this is weird.” I had to chuckle.

“Pray tell, how is this weird?” Now I was genuinely curious. I thought it was normal for humans to eat with their partners. After much research, Demetri informed me that it was indeed normal for mortal men to take their female counterparts out to dinner. Apparently females loved that sort of thing. Why Margaret wasn't being receptive to my advances was beyond my comprehension. Just because I am a vampire, doesn't mean I don't have a right to please my human mate. I wanted her to feel comfortable around me as much as possible. But the way she was picking at her food was proof that my efforts were having the opposite effect. 

"It's a human thing, I guess. Like whenever I go out to eat with Bella or one of my friends, sometimes one of us will get our food before anyone else does. And that person usually is me. And I just don't feel right eating in front of other people! It makes me feel uncomfortable because I feel guilty that I have food and they don't."

I had to chuckle. Humans were certainly fascinating creatures, with their strange rituals and beliefs. I'll have to look into this phenomenon later. "Humans never cease to amaze me. Especially you, my dear.ze me. Especially you, my dear.” I found myself staring at Margaret like a lovesick school boy, leaning forward while resting my chin on the palm of my hand. That lovely shade of pink that I so much adore appeared on Margaret’s face as she quickly looked back down on her plate. “Would it make you feel better if I joined you?” Margaret was so close to finally eating when she pulled swiftly lifted her head to look at me with a blank stare.

“What?” It didn’t take her long to process the meaning behind my words, as she made a face and dropped her fork. “Please don’t. That’s disgusting.”

“Why is it? I have to eat as well.” Which was true. And needed to be done soon. I could feel myself becoming thirsty, and being in Margaret’s presence made it increasingly difficult to restrain myself.

“Feed,” she emphasized. “You mean feed. There’s a difference. And besides, I really can’t stand the sight of blood.” Oh my, this certainly was an interesting development. While I was concerned over this new found tidbit, it was also amusing as well. From all that I’ve seen in Margaret’s mind, I have yet to see anything that gave this away.

I chuckled darkly, “My dear, you do realize what we are? What I am?” I chuckled once more as she made a face once more. I’ve never been in a more ironic situation than the one I was in now.

“I do, but you’re talking to a girl who almost passed out in junior year biology when we did blood typing.” I felt my smirk grow as I watched her shudder in apparent disgust at the memory.

“May I?” I watched in giddy amusement as Margaret stared at my outstretched hand. I could tell she was fighting with herself about exposing herself once more. Eventually she gave in, and I eagerly took her hand in mine as I shut my eyes in concentration. What I saw was rather amusing. A young Margaret sat at a table with that annoying friend of hers, anxiously picking at her clothes. I watched as she started to sweat profusely as the teacher went around passing out supplies for the mundane activity, explaining the procedure. My opinion towards Margaret’s friend improved slightly as she tried to coax her gently out of the activity. But Margaret was just as stubborn as she is now. 

Without warning, the teacher pricked the finger of a random student. And Margaret started to shake as the scent of blood reached her pretty, petite nose. Which was odd, as I was under the impression that humans couldn’t smell blood. My attitude towards her friend soured again as she jabbed my mate’s finger without her permission. Once Margaret saw her own blood, she decided she had enough and attempted to stand, only to partially collapse on the floor. Trying to save herself by having a meager grip on the table. “All of that over a small drop of blood? My dear, that was quite the overreaction.” My smirk widened as she straightened and stared at me with that adorable little glare of hers. She tries so hard to be intimidating, with very little success. 

“Excuse me, no it wasn’t! I absolutely cannot stand the sight or smell of blood and I hate sharp objects. When I was a little girl I stepped on a rusty nail. In middle school, I personally saw another kid get his skull cracked open during a fight at recess. In freshman year, my friend convinced me to watch The Silence of the Lambs at a sleepover when her parents were sleeping! So I’m glad to know that my traumatic experiences entertain you and makes you laugh.” That explains her fear in a more rational way. Those things she experienced do seem pretty gruesome to a human mind. Including watching The Silence of the Lambs. While Anthony Hopkins is a brilliant actor, even I have trouble watching that movie from time to time.

“Margaret, I'm not laughing at your 'unfortunate' circumstances. I'm laughing at the irony of you being frightened over the sight of blood while being mated with a vampire. I would hope that your misguided fears won't stop you from becoming one yourself.” Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted, and Margaret became quiet and withdrawn again. I felt the grin on my face falter as she curled up in her chair.

“So Athenodora was right. You do want to turn me.” Damn it, I should have never let her meet Athenodora. This situation was slowly becoming more precarious as the days creeped by.

“Sweetheart, it’s not like that,” I tried to reach for her hand again, but she tore it away from mine. Like I burned her. My expression fell more deeply as her beautiful blue eyes became sad once more. I really hated it when she looked at me this way. “While it is my wish for you to become a vampire, I do not want to turn you against your wishes.” 

“That’s not what was implied earlier, but ok,” Margaret scoffed as she rolled her eyes. 

“Please don’t roll your eyes at me, Margaret. It’s getting tiresome.” Like any human, Margaret wasn’t perfect. She had her faults just like anyone else of her species. And this fault I found unbecoming and irksome. “Yes, it's true that Athenodora should not have said the way she said it. But she didn't mean no harm. When she found out about you, she was adamant about keeping you human, even after you have your baby.” Margaret only stared at me with that blank stare that was just as bothersome. I wish she would be more expressive. Maybe it was time I showed her my gift. Slowly standing from the chair, I walked slowly and stood in front of her, hand outstretched. “Come with me, sweetheart. I have something to show you.” Once again, she stared at my hand, but this time was different. I could tell that by each passing day, she was growing more anxious about when I would touch her again, a deep craving beginning to pool at the bottom of her stomach. Which made me even more desperate to kiss her. Finally, she grabbed it, letting her hand explore the contours of my own. I had to suppress my desires as her thoughts towards my apparently smooth and strong hands became more risque. 

I led her to the side of the room where her closet was, and the hidden doorway that led to this surprise. “Really? Another secret door?” I feigned being wounded by her smart remark as I easily found the handle. Without moving, I turned my head and looked at her.

“You’d be surprised how many we have of those around here. They can be quite useful when there’s a war going on outside.” This was true. There were too many secret passages in the castle to count. They definitely come in handy when the Romanians decide to cause trouble.

“It sounds like you know a lot about that.”

“My dear, you don’t know the half of it.” Before she could respond, I pulled a blindfold out of my pocket and covered her eyes.

“Seriously? Is this really necessary?” I chuckled as her bravado appeared once more.

“As necessary as the air you breathe. We wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise, now would we?”

“That sounds kinky.” At that moment, I nearly lost control at what she was implying. So, you’re that kind of woman, Margaret? My desire started to pulsate through my body as I pressed myself against her, hands gripping her waist as I gave her what humans know as a love bite.

“Be careful my dear. We’re not in front of the others like we were before.” If she made that bold comment about walking around without clothes on right now, I would’ve taken her right then and there. Oh Margaret, you really need to learn to control yourself. My desire only deepened as she shivered in response to me squeezing her shoulders briefly. As much as I wanted to stay in this position, I had to control myself. Reluctantly letting her go, I opened the panel of the wall and gently led Margaret by the hands into the nursery I had Heidi put together. "Whatever you do my dear, keep your eyes closed."

"What for? You already have my eyes covered." Once again, Margaret had the audacity to scoff at me as I was untying the blindfold. Even though I couldn't see her eyes, I knew she rolled them at me.

Squeezing her neck gently, which made her shiver slightly, I whispered in Margaret's ear, "What did I say about rolling your eyes at me, Margaret?" After removing the blindfold, I anxiously awaited her reaction. Only it didn't come. Once again, Margaret was being stubborn and keeping her eyes shut. "You know you can open your eyes, my dear."

"I don't want to. I'm scared."

I chuckled slightly. "What is there to be scared of?"

"Because I know this surprise is going to be just like all the other surprises you've given me: opulent and over the top." Inwardly, this made me sad. I wanted young Margaret to know how much she meant to me and how precious she was. I wanted her to feel wanted, to know that I needed her. That I would worship the ground she walked on.

"I think, my dear, you may be pleasantly surprised this time around." As confident that I was about this, there was still a part of me that feared rejection. My other gifts I didn't mind if she scoffed at them, but this one meant the world to me. I heard her sigh as she slowly opened her eyes. 

I observed Margaret anxiously as her eyes widened out of shock before softening into awe. I didn't have to touch her to know that she loved it. I studied her as she wandered about the room, letting a hand glind softly over the fine furniture Heidi ordered. "I had Heidi design and put everything together. It's only partially finished, of course. I expect you would want to change things once the baby is born." I had no doubts that she would. Heidi informed me that expectant humans tend to set up the nursery before the baby is born. I think she called it nesting. And since Margaret didn't know the sex of her baby, I would assume that she will make changes to the nursery. 

I heard her open her mouth, only to let out a choked out sob. Slowly turning towards me, Margaret looked at me with eyes that were trying not to overflow with tears. Before I could react, she made her way over to me and threw her arms around my neck, burying her face in my chest. I instinctively wrapped my arms around Margaret, resting my chin in her soft locks. "I take it you like it, sweetheart?"

I heard Margaret utter a yes as she kept her face buried in my jacket. Her voice was filled with emotion. "Thank you. I love it."

"And I love you, mia tesoro." I felt Margaret freeze as I let my fingers gently trace her flesh. I could tell this took her by surprise, but I didn't care. I loved her, I love everything about her. Her eyes, her face, her body, her attitude...Everything. I wanted to make sure she felt that love.

"I hope you don't expect me to return the favor.”

“No, but one day you will. I can see it in those beautiful eyes of yours. Your feelings for me are becoming more apparent. I don’t need Chelsea to help me with that.” While I hate to admit it, there were times where I was wrong about something. However, this was something I was 100% completely certain about. While Margaret tried so hard to hide her feelings in her mind and behind her countenance, that was not the case with her eyes. It has been said that the eyes are the window to the soul. Being a vampire, that is untrue for myself, considering I have no soul. But young Margaret definitely did have a soul, one that revealed its secrets if one is invited. And her eyes were inviting, indeed. 

I knew she was fighting herself over her feelings for me. And she was losing, quite badly. I buried my face into her soft tresses, relishing in the scent of vanilla and lilac. Humming slightly, I could feel her slowly relax into my embrace. It was like time had stopped, which, technically, already had for me. The pieces of my plan were slowly falling into place. There was nothing standing in my way now. There was nothing that could stop me from getting what I wanted. 

But I was wrong. Things went downhill real fast not long after I showed Margaret my gift. The calamitous event in question occurred after Heidi brought in a new group of humans for us to feed on. Margaret had grown accustomed for the guard being away for periods of time to feed. I didn’t like it, but she insisted that she would be able to keep herself occupied in one place. Begrudgingly, I accepted this request on the condition she stayed put until one of the guards returned from feeding. This last time was the exception.

Apparently, the heat was too much for young Margaret. During these past few weeks, I’ve adamantly insisted that she stay in when the weather got too extreme. There have been rare occasions where Margaret and I nearly got into it about her stepping out when I thought it was inappropriate. But then I remembered a letter Carlisle wrote not long after I met Margaret for the first time. In the letter, he warned me not to upset her. Once again, I found myself giving in to her, allowing her to enjoy her humanity. When Caius heard about this, he made a snide remark about me going soft. I thought nothing about it at first, but as time slowly crept on by…

Despite wandering everywhere with the guard, Margaret still managed to get herself lost. In a most convenient fashion, she ended up in the hallway right outside the throne room. What was even more convenient is that she ran into Heidi, Demetri and Felix as they were starting to clean up the bodies that were starting to accumulate. They tried hiding the rotting corpses from her view, but Margaret, ever so shrewd, managed to figure out that children were on this “tour” and barreled into the throne room. However, her bravado slipped when she stepped into the lion’s den, as the guard affectionately calls the throne room. 

By this point, remnants of blood have already pooled on the floor, and I could see that Margaret was ready to pass out. “My dear, you shouldn’t be in here.” I rarely get nervous, but I was at that moment. Margaret’s usual gentle blue eyes darkened to a midnight blue, like an ocean ready to swallow an unsuspecting sailor whole. As I looked her over, I noticed that she wasn’t wearing any shoes. An odd sense of foreboding washed over me as she slowly made her way towards me, stopping halfway in the middle.

“Children, Aro? Really?” She wore an expression that was mixed with disgust, anger, and sadness. In her hands was a teddy bear, brought in by an unsuspecting child. While I was unprepared for her to shove the bear in my face, I naturally deflected it.

“My dear, I have no control over the humans Heidi brings to us.” I reached out to touch her face, but flinched, as if my touch produced a burning sensation. 

“Don’t touch me!” My eyes widened in shock. This was the first time Margaret openly defied me. Anger started to pool inside me, but I quickly squashed it. “And don’t give me that excuse. It’s not like you tell her not to.” This was unfortunately true. I give Heidi free reign over how she fishes humans for us. I have no knowledge, nor did I care to know, about how she lures them in. I could feel my chest ache as tears started to form in my mate’s eyes, some of them escaping down her tan face. “They’re innocent children, Aro! They have done absolutely nothing! None of these people did.”

At this point, my patience was starting to wane. “My dear, we have to feed. And we cannot feed on humans that live in Volterra. Heidi does what she has to in order to bring humans to us. It's not our fault the humans bring their children.” I could feel my face twitch in annoyance as I took one step towards Margaret, only for her to take one step back, stepping in the pools of blood.

“I can’t believe you! You’re nothing but a monster, and I never want you near my baby and-” Her offending rant stopped mid-sentence when she spotted something I didn’t see. As she turned to walk away from me, I noticed the body of the girl that used to torment her in high school. The foreboding only grew worse as I recounted from Margaret’s memories with that idiotic boy. How he and his newfound wife were planning on stopping through Volterra during their trip. I watched my mate warily as she stared down at the girl who made her life a living hell. And frankly, I was disturbed by the lack of reaction. However, I counted my chickens before they hatched, as right on cue did Margaret let out a shrieking cry. 

Ignoring the increasing pain in my chest, I watched as she fell to the floor, not caring if the blood got on her clothes. I couldn’t see her face, but I could tell that she was sobbing uncontrollably. My anger nearly got the best of me as I watched her caress the face of her former lover. I had to bite back a snarl as she leaned down and kissed his cold, lifeless lips. As I slowly made my way over to her, I observed Margaret rummaging through his pockets, grabbing his wallet and taking out what looked like a picture. I was standing right behind her as she held the picture up to her face. It was an older photo of her and that good for nothing boy, her arms wrapped around his neck. I nearly jumped as she screamed out an obscenity before hunching over his body. 

Finally, I decided it was time to make my presence known by placing a hand on her shoulder. Perhaps a bit too firmly. The sobbing stopped, Margaret slowly stood up, letting the blood drip from her knees and hands. Turning to face me, I was confronted with one of the angriest looks I’ve ever seen on Margaret, which I returned. Though, not as severe as hers. Without warning, she balled up her fists and attempted to strike me, but I was quick to deflect the meager attack by holding her wrists with an iron grip. “Let go of me.” My oh my, she was not happy. At all. I never heard this tone of voice from her. And I didn’t like it at all.

“No. I will not let you go until you calm down.” I consider myself a patient man, but there are times where my tone of voice betrays me. Including now. Young Margaret was on thin ice as she snorted and rolled her eyes.

“Oh that's rich, coming from you! Just the other day you claimed you wanted to protect me and that no man should ever put his hands on a woman. And yet, here you are, hurting me. Some man you are. You're pathetic and I hate you!” That four letter word pierced my heart, or lack thereof, as my grip tightened slightly. That actually hurt. First she has the audacity to call me a monster, which I technically was. But this...this hurt me beyond reason. I watched as her bravado slipped as I let out a low growl. But she was right, I was hurting her. For the second time, I broke my promise to her. 

“My dear, you need your rest. I would strongly advise you to do so. Now.” Margaret continued to stare up at me defiantly. Whatever sexual tension we felt before had now dissipated. I nodded at Felix, who redeemed himself by gently coaxing her to go back to her room. Before she left, Margaret picked up the teddy bear she had thrown and walked out without a second glance.

No one said a word as I stared at Margaret’s retreating figure, trying to calm myself down. It was a good thing I didn’t need to breathe, because I don’t think I would be able to otherwise. “Brother…” I could hear Marcus rise from his throne, ready to approach me, but I strode to leave the room, to avoid even more embarrassment. I stopped to look at Heidi and Felix, the two who were responsible for this fiasco.

Both of them were squirming on the inside, and were struggling to hide it. While it didn’t make me feel better completely, it certainly took a load off my shoulders. Motioning to the remaining corpses, I offered them one last glance and said, “Clean this up,” before slowly making my way back to my office.

I spent the next few hours locked in my office, with strict instructions to not be disturbed. Under any circumstances. During those hours, I tried to keep myself occupied by reading books from my own personal collection, but to no avail. My mind kept going back to my encounter with Margaret. On the surface, I was seething with anger. But deep down, I was hurting beyond comprehension. The pains in my chest that occurred before I met Margaret returned in full force. I could feel her own despair. I didn’t even have to be in the same room to know that she was crying enough tears to flood the Grand Canal in Venice. 

After many hours, I decided that it might not hurt to try to attempt some sort of reconciliation with her. I decided to make my way slowly to Margaret’s room, in order to collect my thoughts and carefully plan on what I wanted to say to her. I wasn’t going to apologize, at least not in the full sense of the word. No, my pride prevented me from doing so at the moment. If I waved that white flag before we each had time to cool down, I wouldn’t hear the end of it. It would make me look weak. Margaret was already emotionally unstable as it is, with all those meddlesome hormones. As I stood outside her door, I hesitated. Are you mad, man? You’re about to step into the middle of a hurricane. It has been many millennia since I last breathed actual air. But now I found myself taking what humans call a deep breath before I dared to step into Margaret’s room.

I didn’t find her right away. The room was massive as it was already. I found her curled up in a chair by the fireplace, which was lit for some odd reason, as it was uncomfortably hot outside. Even for a vampire. She didn’t notice me right away, or if she did, she didn’t acknowledge that I was in the room. It felt like an eternity before she finally craned her head to look at me. Streaks of mascara clearly defined her face as she stared at me. While I was rather unnerved at her open defiance in front of my coven, I found Margaret’s empty stare even more unnerving. It was like she left Italy without even leaving the castle. I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t find the words. Fortunately for me, Margaret turned away and returned her gaze to the fire. I left not too long afterwards, not bothering to return for a second time.

I barely saw Margaret after our altercation. I made sure to avoid her in the hallways, and if I did see her, we both refused to even take a glance at one another. But that didn’t bother me. Not in the slightest. If she wanted to act like a child, that was her business. What bothered me the most was her incessant crying. She cried for days on end, which can audibly be heard in the throne room due to our enhanced senses. It bothered me to the point where I gained a headache that was a borderline migraine. On one hand, I believed she was only continuing this charade to make me feel bad. Which I did of course, but not that much. On the other hand, I could feel her pain, and it was a struggle for me to keep my composure in front of my brothers and the rest of the guard, who were just as equally bothered by Margaret’s tears. “Aro, you really need to speak with her. I can see your bond, and it’s not as strong as it was before. If you two keep this up, I’m not sure how far the damage can spread.”

“For once, I agree with Marcus. Not only is this affecting the guard, but Athenodora as well. She tells me that your mate has refused to let her, or anyone else in to console her.” I took in my brothers’ words carefully. Carefully grabbing Marcus’ hand, I let myself explore the nature of my bond with Margaret. And it did not look good at all. The bond that was once strong was now growing ever weaker. Not wanting to cause myself anymore distress, I ripped my hand from Marcus’, briefly letting it curl into a fist near where my cold, unbeating heart lay. 

Over the past few days, my anger started to subsided, only to be replaced by ever growing fear. And after seeing the true nature of my bond with Margaret, I could feel myself beginning to panic. “She won’t even speak to me. Believe me, I tried.”

“Trying isn't enough, Aro,” Marcus said gravely. You need to apologize.” My head spun so fast I’m surprised my neck didn’t snap.

“I will not apologize. She knew better than to wander about alone. She brought this on herself.”

“Aro, don’t be unreasonable. It’s not her fault that she didn’t know where the guard was. And I really think you should. This boy,” I let out a growl, only to be met with a glare from Marcus. “This boy was one of the most important people in her life. He was her first love, and humans tend to hold their first loves in high regard, even if the relationship doesn’t last.” I began to squirm at Marcus’ words. What was he playing at?

“I don’t want to hear this,” I tried standing up, only to be restrained by Marcus. 

“Aro, you will listen. You have caused your mate great grief. It’s brought her so much pain to the point of-” Marcus was interrupted by a scoff from Caius.

“Oh please, don’t tell me you actually believe that, Marcus? The only reason Aro’s in this predicament is because his mate is acting like an ungrateful little bi-”

“Hold your tongue, Caius.” My tone was on edge so much that I could taste the venom in my mouth. Swallowing, I regained my composure and returned to stare at Marcus, leaving Caius in silence. “Go on.”

“The pain your mate is feeling is only distressing her child even further. If she continues to experience this pain, it could cause her to go into labor. And something tells me that it’s too early for her to have her child.” The venom inside me ran cold, or it would if I were actually alive. “And let me remind you that you did go back on your word to not lay a hand on her.” Thank you, Marcus, I wasn’t aware of that fact. All of a sudden, I was transported back a few days ago, where I saw myself standing eye to eye with Margaret. It was right after she told me that she hated me. I was so wrapped up in my own anger that I didn’t take into account the child. Anger that tempted me to wrap my hands around Margaret’s pretty neck, wanting to hurt her like she hurt me. It wasn’t until now did the intensity of her desperate stare hit me. 

“I...I have to go see her…” Marcus only nodded.

“That would be a wise choice.” I stepped down from the dais, and was halfway across the throne room when Heidi burst in, looking rather out of breath for a vampire. 

“Master Aro...Something’s wrong. Maggie’s gone.” What?! I rushed over to Heidi, roughly taking her hand into my own. Earlier, Margaret and I almost got into another fight about letting her go out. Or did you forget that I’m not some bird you can keep in a gilded cage? Those words haunted me. The way she worded it made seem that I was keeping her prisoner. Of course, I made things worse by suggesting that she walk in the gardens where I can keep an eye on her. Then she had the gall to insinuate that I lied to her. 

As I dived into Heidi’s memories, I saw the two walking about Volterra. Or rather, I saw Heidi drag Margaret around into various shops. Nothing in Margaret’s face suggested that she was planning on taking a run for it. It was only after Heidi emerged from the dressing room did she find Margaret gone. Releasing her hand, I stared at the trembling vampire with a mixture of anger and fear.

“Aro…” I didn’t turn to acknowledge Marcus.

“She’s gone…” And just like that, my world came crashing down around me. It seemed like fate truly was cruel. Everything was just close enough for me to grasp, only for it to slip away. I turned away from Heidi, bowing my head in concentration, not wanting the others to see the pain. Then without warning, I threw myself at Heidi, grabbed her by the neck, and slammed her into the wall. “You were supposed to be watching her…” My voice was clearly on edge now, as I heard Heidi starting to crack slightly. If it weren’t for Marcus, I probably would have ended Heidi’s existence. 

Suddenly, the cellphone, which the guard insisted I get, buzzed in my jacket pocket. Slowly releasing Heidi while keeping my glare constant, I answered the phone without looking to see who it was. “Yes?” My voice was hoarse with a mixture of anger and pain. Suddenly, Alice’s voice came blaring from the phone.

“Aro? It’s Alice! Something’s wrong! Maggie’s gone.”

“Yes, yes, Heidi already told me. She ran away.”

“She didn’t run away! Someone took her!” I couldn’t hear what Alice said next because I immediately crushed the phone like a paper cup. Snarling, I gave orders to the guard to prepare to set out to look for her as I made my way back to my office. After locking the door, I leaned against it, trying not to let the pain overtake me. But it was too late. I could feel someone hurting my mate. My Margaret. The mother of my-

I had lost all control, and destroyed most of my office in seconds, leaving only sheets of paper everywhere. Once most of my rage had subsided, something on the floor caught my eye. Picking it up, I realized it was the picture I took from Margaret’s room, of her at her birthday party. Smiling up at me. Staring at the photograph intensely, I was more determined than ever to find her and make things right. I’ll find her, even if I have to leave the entire country in chaos as a result.


End file.
